Dawn of War: Where They Belong
There is no greater test in the galaxy than the test of conviction. If any conviction is found less than the words of an individual, then the conviction can be seen as weak. Only those strong in their conviction can see the results of what is to come at them.
Chapter 10: Section 10 - 1
There is explosions around them. They fly into the air and crash on the soil; it is the roar of the boom that causes the enemy to turn and face the noise. There is fire everywhere as small vehicles are blown up. The attacks seem random and coming from everywhere. A second explosion goes off and more of their kind fly into the air. One of the beings look up and sees foot prints in the soil. As it crawls forward, it sees something standing still. The object is cloaked and can barely be seen. The legless ork crawls faster to touch the hidden object. It wants to grab this being as fast it can. The hidden being looks down and fires a blue beam into the skull of the ork. The legless ork points a finger in the direction of where it was facing. Out of all the times the orks are foolish and ignorant of their surroundings, this is the one time the others pay attention. The dying cry of the ork alerts the others. They turn in the direction of where the last ork died. They all see the interesting being now. Before they can fire, Commander Shas'O Kais fires his flamer thrower at the ground.
He reports: "All fire warriors, prep for combat! The orks will be at our position soon!"
The tau commander turns back and runs to his support. An ork chief sees where to fire and unleashes a barrage of bullets. The bullets force Kais to reveal himself as he runs and jumps back to safety. The orks roar with delight and charge after him. At the front line of the tau and kroot forces, Shas'El Asuki stands ready to lead them into glory. The tau take aim and make sure their rifle is ready to fire. Kroot packs smile and lick their teeth at the chance to chomp down on an ork. Kroot leaders urge them to gain the perfect prey to gain better genetic material. As the orks come closer, the alerts from Shas'O Kais are getting louder. Asuki keeps the kroot back and makes sure they will know the single. She stands in front of the tau fire warriors. They all take aim and look to see Kais still firing away at the orks. Nearly a mob is almost on him. Kais leaps into the air and fires down at the enemy, killing several more orks. The ork chief throws a stink bomb near the front. It does nothing to Kais as he continues backing up. Once the enemy is close enough, the tau fire warriors unload a barrage of blue shots at them.
The orks at the bastion see the damage done to their kind. It works as the orks rally others to charge at the enemy. Kais reveals himself to his team and joins them at the front. The orks stop just outside the kill zone with their chief smiling and glad for a fight. He roars and raises his axe. The other orks stomp the ground and chant in harmony. The louder the chant, the more others gather and join their voice. Asuki and the others are frozen with fear. Kais takes a few steps forward and bends one knee. He broadcasts the message all fire warriors and kroot packs need to hear.
He says, "Our empire is built on cooperation. It is the only way we can create a future for our people. Though we are alone when we are faced with problems, we know that we can make it with friends by our side. We embrace what we don't understand; we move forward in the face of danger. To the brave and few whose generation live on with us, we are the fire warriors of the tau."
With his words touching the ears of all, the orks move at them only to be gun down by a wave of pulse rifle round. The fire warriors keep the barrage going strong as more orks come at them. At the bastion, the orks look out in the distant land to see the mobs dying and fighting. The excitement for battle is too much for them. The horns are loud and alert the mobs to journey where the battle is. As the orks move out, Suu uses this moment. She looks around from the tall grass to see the ork parties move out. The opportunity is here. She pulls out her gun and fires a single shot in the air. The air caste teams in the west are ready; the time is now upon them. The first strike teams of barracudas fly in fast. As the orks in the tower look up, many of them are fired upon. The tactic works and several towers are destroyed; however, the remaining nine towers make sure they wouldn't work a second run. The next wave of barracudas attempt the assault, but they lose two ships in the process. Four of them retreat back to the base and only five are left with some damage.
Near the front line, the orks get too close as fire warriors do what they can to fall back as fast as possible. Asuki fires a purple flare and the kroot packs come at the orks. The majority of orks coming up roar for the physical battle with their new foes. Kroot warriors jump at the orks. Many bite the arms, neck, and legs of the enemy. The orks struggle on and slam the kroot warriors down hard. Many warriors die from axe attacks and others munch on the orks. Though there are several large orks coming at the kroot warriors, they meet their match when large kroot fighters come at them with similiar features. The large kroot warriors show war tendencies as they head-butt and crush their enemy with surprising force. The rage within them causes the kroot warriors to rush at the orks more. Despite the overwhelming number of orks, each kroot warriors gladly welcomes the challenge.
Far in the east, Carl and his task force is ready to do their duty. It would not be easy, but they need to place the beacon in the center or near the ork bastion. Carl contacts Elara.
He says, "The beacon is ready, but we need to get as close as we can to the ork bastion. Once we place it, you will be able to use the napalm missiles on the settlement and burn these filthy xenos. I hope you are ready to unleash the emperor's fury."
Commissar Elara radios back, "And I hope you live through this to see the glory of the Emperor. The men look up to you more than me. Your courage is addictive."
With his mind clear and ready to get the beacon to the center, Carl and his six task units stand ready. He turns to them and gives one more message to them.
Carl says, "We came here to help our xeno allies, but it is more than that. We are here to crush the ork menace and rid this galaxy of their kind. This mission is a suicide run for us, but if we die here now, we will be welcomed in the arms of the Immortal Emperor. Now, follow me men into the maw of war."
The task units shout, "May the Emperor guide us and protect us!"
Carl looks ahead to see the majority of orks have gone to the front lines to battle the tau and kroot forces. This was as good as it will get. They rush in and break off into teams. Carl takes two units with him as they make their way to the center. The others cause as much problems and chaos where they can. Carl and his team sneak in and watch as patrols of orks rush by. Each group pays them no mind. They come to a heavily guarded area with orks watching out for anyone. Carl thinks long and hard about how this will go. He sees no chance to get by them.
One of the members in his units call to him and says, "You must get the beacon to the center or closer. Let me and my team keep the orks busy. Our success depends on you. Go forth and plant the beacon. We will let the orks taste the righteous fury of the imperial guard and imperial guardians."
He looks around and continues to see the danger of trying to sneak around. Carl sighs and gives the unit his blessing. With death certain for them, the guardsmen leap into the ork party and blast away. The distraction is enough to cause the orks to come at them. Carl and his last team move on. The more trouble they cause, the more the other orks come back to fight them. Time is growing short for them and the beacon must be placed quickly. Carl and his team come to the final settlement next to the bastion. Before they can get far, the orks spot them and call for the others.
Carl says, "No, we were so close. Men, buy me all the time you can."
As the orks move in to slaughter them, shots of blue light come at them. To their surprise, a small unit of cloak fire warriors join Carl and his men.
One fire warrior reports, "Commander Shas'O Kais thought it was wise to send us with you. He has given the orks all that he can, but the rest falls on you. Hurry and plant the device so we can end this threat. The Great Spear is ready to fire as well once your Purity Blade ship begins. Hurry while the orks are being dealt with."
The time is upon him. With no other options and their time growing thin, Carl puts his all into his legs and rushes ahead. The opening is before him and he picks up the pace. He has to make it and give everyone a chance. A few runty orks stand in his way, but the opening is still clear. Carl pulls out his bolter gun and fires at the enemy in front of him. He continues moving forward; the adrenaline is pumping hard through his body. It isn't fear that drives him forward nor does he see failure. Carl drives himself hard into the center to bring about the end of a threat and continue on with the glory of imperium. He dodges the axe swing from the next ork; he leaps over the body of a dead ork and hurries. The moment is upon him as he rushes forward. Carl is nearly there until a hard hit to the body forces him to drop the beacon.
Carl looks up to see an ork stand over him. He hears the roaring and feels a hand grab his throat. The ork holds him up high and growls at him.
He thought, "So, this is how it ends for me. I, Carl of the Imperial Guardians, died at the hands of the enemy. I didn't fulfill the Emperor's duty. I am sorry, Max."
As the ork raises his axe high to hack off the head of Carl, a noise is heard. Carl looks up to see a surprise coming in at him. The orks find the tau barracudas firing upon them once again. It proves enough for a good distraction as the ork lets him go. Though the tau lose two of their air caste ship, Carl makes sure their death would not go unanswered. He looks and rushes for the beacon. This is now the last chance for him to bring death to the orks; Carl stands on his feet. There isn't a moment to lose. He runs to the side of the ork bastion. The beacon has been activated. As the imperial guardsmen and tau hold back the mob, Carl calls to Commissar Elara.
He reports, "The beacon is live. Send down the napalm missiles and end this ork threat now!"
Commissar Elara replies, "You have only two minutes to get away before the area is covered in fire. I suggest you run. If you die, I shall have your names immortalized for every generation to remember you."
Carl knew they didn't have enough time to fight long. So, he calls to his team and the tau. They would fight every step of the way out of the ork camp. It is a race against time as they all push through the ork settlement. Suu contacts her last few barracudas to return to the tau empire for repair. She rallies her team to return back to the base. After issuing out her last few orders, the roaring sound of explosions come from the ork settlement. She looks back to see the ork bastion bombarded by missiles that send out waves of fire. The Great Spear ship of the tau fires energy blast to throw the orks around and continue to damage the structure. There is no time to hold back and no need to show any mercy. All the orks must die.
The Purity Blade fires five more napalm missiles at the structure and landscape. Each missile burns the area and sets the place on fire. No ork is spared from the fires of the Emperor. As she continues to look on, Suu wonders if Carl is away from the area or if he got out safe and sound. As the Purity Blade and Great Spear ships continue to launch missile after missile into the ork settlement, the others far from the area witness the destruction done to the enemy. It is finally over and the orks no longer trouble the area. Tova'Sho is now secure and ready for more efforts to continue with colonization. Shas'O Kais and Shas'El take their teams out towards the ork site and begin cleaning up the area. A few orks are left alive and more are found dead. Like the imperial army, the tau use incendiary rounds to burn away the ork bodies. The imperial units are found and many are alive with wounded among them.
Chapter 10: Section 10 - 2
Suu arrives in time to see many soldiers march back to the tau base. They help and aid the wounded imperial soldiers as best as they can. She hurries to her commander to give her report and to see if he survived this horrible battle. She comes to Shas'El Asuki near the front of the battle.
Asuki reports, "This battle is over and many lives were lost; however, we have achieved greatness here. Tova'Sho is now secure again. Commander Shas'O Kais is near the area and continues to search for Carl. He hasn't heard from him yet."
Suu says, "I will help him with his search and see if Carl is alive. I hope we don't have to report his death to anyone."
She leaves Asuki to deal with the others. In her mind, duty and safety are all that come to her. In her heart, she hopes that Carl is alive and will be here for future generations to inspire. Despite his strong sense of belonging to the Imperium of Man, Suu still sees something in him that can't be explained with mere words. She hurries as fast as she can to the front where Kais is at. After ten minutes of hard running, she finds her commander looking over the area. Kais speaks with an imperial guardian.
He says, "I am sorry, but he is not here. The only thing left is the dead ork body over there."
Kais replies, "He was a brave man. I will inform your commissar of his service. Go ahead and return with your people."
Suu comes to Kais and asks, "Is there anything else we can do? Did Carl report in?"
Kais looks back into the land and gives his final words to Carl. In her heart, she feels as though a part of her is taken. Carl is no longer among the living and left this life. Suu lowers her head and nearly cries for the loss. Before they can move, the ork body moves. Kais and Suu take aim and get ready to blast the ork only to see it pushed over. He climbs out out of the ground and complains of the smell. Kais is amazed that he is alive; Suu nearly allows her heart to scream out affection. Carl of the Imperial Guardians is standing tall and glad the battle is over. Suu holds back her emotions and remains focused as they approach him. He extends his hand to the others inside the hole in the ground and pulls them up.
Carl annoyingly complains, "Ugh, I knew orks never clean their body, but they are horrible once they die. By the emperor, never again will I ever get that close to an ork once they are dead."
Shas'O Kais asks, "How did you all survive this when the ships started to blast the landscape?"
He answers, "Oh that was easy and quite silly. We manage to make our way from the main area. The problem was the two minutes it took for us to get away. By the emperor's blessing, we manage to find a hole in the ground. So, we all climbed in as we blasted the orks. Once we got in, the rest is pretty obvious. We just waited until the noise ended and stayed until we knew it was safe to come out. The worse of our situation was the dead ork. It smelled so horrible that we all kept our nose covered."
As Kais calls over for more help, Carl and Suu find themselves looking at each other in silence. Instead of speaking, he just waves at her and she bows her head. The moment is awkward for him yet fulfilling for her. They remain quiet for the trip back to the base. They talk to others and only speak military issues. Once they arrive back at the base, the Purity Blade comes from orbit and into the fortress. For many others, it is a joyful time to be around others that once lived in the hive city. Among the people, Commissar Elara and Shas'El Asuki stand in front of each other. They are happy to see one another, but they both remain loyal to their empire.
Elara says, "Ah, I see the life in the Tau Empire has made you soft Asuki. I mean you were once a dangerous gang leader in the hive city. Now, here you stand as a proud gue'vesa of an empire you are still new to. I wonder what your dad would think of you now?"
Asuki replies, "And you look as though you have seen too much war to be unable to stop boasting. Yes, I am learning and what of you. You are among the imperial forces as the commissar. I know what your mother would tell you now since you gave up the dangerous life."
Both women pause for a moment before they laugh loud and proud. They walk off together and join their teams to celebrate their victory over the orks. Shas'O Kais goes to speak with Aun El Rai. Carl is left wondering what comes next other than the trip back home. He looks over his journal and sighs. The issue is still picking at his mind; he can't take it any more. Carl asks around the area about the location of Suu. He is pointed in the direction of where to go. As he walks around the tau fortress, he marvels and express his joy at seeing an advanced city. The towers are beautiful and the homes are in perfect condition.
After a while of walking and nearly getting lost in the fortress city, Carl arrives at the small cottage of Suu. The outside is lovely with plants resting next to the window. Carl looks at her house to see number two next to the wall. He assumed it was for letting people know who is next in line for command. He steps to the door and wonders how it should open. Before he opens it, Carl thinks long and hard about how to express his emotions and mind on what she did to him.
He thought, "Ok, this is nothing personal...wait, this is personal. She violated me...well, she only took samples from me by skin touch. Ugh, by the emperor this is too hard to just tell her. I better just say it and be done with it. I have no time any more to keep thinking of this matter."
Carl tries to knock on the door, but it slides to the left and allows him entrance. He is left speechless by how everything works and looks. Once inside, he finds a room clean and looking less messy than his own living room. To his left is a wall with books of a variety for him to search through. Next to the shelf are armor types for Suu to pick from. To his right, he sees a small couch and table. The table hums with a low noise as it floats off the floor. He walks on over and scans the kitchen. Carl sees a nice area to cook and water that is pure for drinking. He knew the cottage is small, but everywhere has enough room for a small box. He turns around and heads to the next room to find the bedroom. The bedroom is nice in size and great to look at. Everything inside the cottage puts his mind at ease.
She washes away the last of the dirt and sighs with her mind at ease. It was a long fight to finish the orks. Now the time for eating and resting is here. After she steps from the shower, Suu calms her mind and rests her nerves. She has enough time to do as she wishes. The reports from the ork battles will keep her occupied for another few minutes, but they can be handled later.
Suu thought, "The battle is over and now we have time to get stronger. I am glad Carl survived his own assault and hopefully, he has forgiven me for my actions. He is perfect for the tau empire if he only joins us and fights for a cause greater than his own empire."
She runs her fingers over her head and steps from the bathroom. As the sound of her movements alert Carl, he turns to see Suu completely uncovered. Carl and Suu stare at each other in shock. Carl clears his throat and shields his eyes. Suu is glad to see him here in her home, but this is an unannounced visit. She stutters and fumbles over her words only to hear his words.
Carl says, "Look, I know I came here without calling you or telling you, but I...can you get dressed first? It is kind of hard to speak with you."
Suu happily yet nervously replies, "I don't mind you are here..but..I-I...do want to talk with you.."
Unable to hold back her emotions, Suu rushes upon Carl and hugs him greatly. Though she is light and not heavy, Carl looks down to only realize how glad he is not on Xoen for any to view this. He looks at her and still sees her not covered.
She says, "I was afraid that you would hate me for what I did. But, you came here to see me and talk to me. I will not do it again, I promise. I only want to continue your type of genetic form for the tau empire. The future generations can be better and have a loyal blood line for us to expand. I was never going to hurt..."
Carl interrupts her and says, "First, you need to get dressed properly. Second, I have forgiven you for your acts as long as you don't do it again. Lastly, I am here to just talk and see how well the tau have been improving and dealing with other challenges."
Suu looks into his eyes still disregarding her need to be properly covered. She gives Carl a smile and agrees to get dressed. Carl waits for her in the living room and looks around at how well she is living. In two minutes, she comes to the living room well dressed; Carl relaxes against the counter and Suu joins him.
She asks, "So, what part of our empire would you like to know about? I can only tell you what I know military wise."
Carl replies, "Ok, how well is your military status going? Have you encountered any more Sons of Malice followers? Is your planet free of orks?"
Suu eats a small alien fruit. It causes her to giggle and she answers, "Our military status is always ready for any emergencies that come up. The orks and the rok they brought here was a good way to test our ability to respond to a threat. We didn't expect the ork rok to be such a problem to deal with. This is our first encounter with one, and Shas'O Kais has put a plan in motion to keep Tova'Sho well protected. On the moon just only seven days from us, we are constructing a cannon capable of blasting any ork ships that approach us. The rest of the planet is still being explored by our scouts. We haven't been able to go to new parts of the world due to the changes in the landscape. Plus, we still have to expand and build up our next settlement for Shas'El Asuki to watch over. There have been a few wild animals here on this world for us to study; however, the kroot are anxious to eat them first for the genetic code they have. And, by the next few years, we will be training a new batch of tau fire warriors and gue'vesa to join the ranks."
He waits for a moment and laughs at how much they have going on.
Carl says, "Well, I highly doubt you have any more orks on this world with your skills and leadership. If there are no more threats, we will take our leave of you."
Suu watches him leave only to call to Carl. She says, "Do you really have to go back to Xoen so soon? I was hoping to talk more."
He replies, "We will return since we are allies. For now, we must return to our home. I have duties to perform and Max needs my help more than ever. If we get time, we will return. For now, keep your mind focused on what is coming. If war is upon us, we will call upon you and need your help."
She nods her head and understands. Carl gets ready to leave, but a message comes from Commissar Elara.
Elara reports, "It would seem we are staying here for a day or two. The tau want to know and study the Purity Blade. They like the design and want to learn what they can to add its firepower to their own ships. They have even given us a section for us to stay in until they are done. So, I hope you like tau customs."
Carl replies, "Understood. And I will send Max the report by our astropath before the day is over. For now, keep our troops away from the tau citizens. We don't need any issues."
He turns back to Suu and says, "Well, I don't know if this was your plan or if the tech teams of the tau love the study more. In any case, the Purity Blade will be docked for some time. So, if you want to talk, I will be with my people in the area your leader has given us."
Before Carl can go, Suu stops him one last time and asks, "Is it alright if I see you tonight and be among your people?"
Carl agrees to let her join him and his soldiers when she can. For now, he leaves her. Suu jumps for joy around her home. She is excited to see him no longer mad or annoyed with her despite what she did. Suu may not be back in his good graces, but there will be time to accept his friendship one last time. As the night comes on, the tech teams of the tau begin to go over the ship with the tech teams of the imperial guard to study what makes the Purity Blade effective. They start with the basics and work their way from there to learn of the engine, the weapons, the armor, and the structure. The day is slowly coming to an end, but the night would be great for many others.
Chapter 10: Section 10 - 3
The evening is nice with the sunlight still over the horizon. Though everyone imperial person is expecting it to be dark soon, they are informed by the tau that the sun won't go down completely. The sun near their planet will always be low over the horizion to provide a slight morning light. They all gather in groups near the section where the people are now sitting. A few tau and gue'vesa look on from a safe distance; they wish to join them and talk about how life in the imperial guard has been for them. A few fire warriors watch and hear the voices of the humans as they talk, laugh, train, and urge each other to stay focused. Among them, commissar Elara is still watching for signs of treachery and lack of discipline. She does keep her hands away from her bolter pistol, but her constant walking around the groups keep everyone at the ready should she order them to be ready for combat.
He sits among his own veteran soldiers and watches the guardsmen laugh. They speak of a bright future and worry about what will come next. The men talk of how strong Max is and compare him to a Primarch; the words speak too highly of what he will do for the imperial world Xoen. A few women give praise to Elara and Lina about how they shall be one of the many Saints among them. The tech teams consider Lina one of the best the Omnissiah has ever given knowledge to. Elara is looked upon as a great leader and soon to be the next coming. Carl keeps his own face hidden and makes sure that any such words do not sound too much like worship. He listens closely to one of the imperial guard teams talk about what they believe and think of the future and their current allies.
One man of the guardsmen says, "This galaxy has more than enough room for us to continue our population growth. There are planets around the solar systems here for us to take and make as apart of the imperium of man. The sooner we stop the orks and finish with the Sons of Malice, the sooner we will give the Emperor an offering to receive his eternal blessing. I know we can win."
A woman laughs as she drinks some wine and adds, "You don't need to convince me any more of what the future is going to be like. We will be at the top and the others will be our slaves or eliminated. This galaxy doesn't need any more xenos in here nor should we share anything with them. The tau are ok, but they serve our needs only. I will be glad to be off this world and back on imperial soil. "
Carl giggles under his breath until a man shouts, "There will be no more xeno influence in this galaxy. The orks will die and every other alien shall burn in the flames of our weapons. May the imperium usher in a new age of peace for humanity and chaos for the..."
Barely finishing his words, Carl collides his fist into the jaw of the man. He reveals himself only for the imperial guard to stand at attention. Even Elara comes over to make sure everyone is not getting and ideas.
Carl shouts, "There will be no talk of ambition for our people. We know our duty; we will do our duty. Any more talk of glory, ambition, or personal gain shall be speaking with my fists. For tonight, everyone think of what brings you happiness. The tau should be done with the Purity Blade soon. Use this time to finish your celebrating and prepare for departure."
With the orders given, Carl excuses himself from the others. Elara orders the soldiers to remove the wine and any alcohol from the gathering. The taint of chaos can not be given a chance to fester within the ranks. Once done, she goes to find Carl. Far on the other side of the camp, Carl relaxes his nerves and keeps him mind still. He didn't mean to go over board with his words and action; however, the sense of duty must remind in their mind more than what glory awaits them. He looks down at the sword that Max gave him. He pulls it out and grips the hilt hard. The fire of the blade come out as he looks at it with some rage. Carl didn't forget what Max asked of him.
Elara comes to him, "You seem conflicted and a bit hasty on your sense of duty. Is there anything you want to get off your chest, or share with me?"
Carl places the blade away and replies, "There is nothing to share. I was wrong for striking the man so hard, but I shall not let them give into the taint of chaos with words of glory, power, and ambition. We are only doing our duty for the emperor of humanity. Anything else is words of selfish pride and personal glory. I just want not only the emperor to be proud of us. I want to make sure Max made the right choice. He gave me his own sword to carry on his orders and the will of the imperium. I really hope he made the right choice."
She comes to his side and gladly says, "We are doing our duty as the Emperor decrees us. Duty demands us right now to relax our nerves away yet remain aware of what we do. We won't give into desire, want, ambition, power, and or anything taint that will corrupt us. For now, the enemies of the imperium know we are here and we will give them a swift death."
Carl turns to her and thanks Elara for her words of encouragement even when it is hard to see them. They head back to the group and see a soldier coming to them. The woman looks worried.
She says, "You must hurry back to the camp. A tau fire warrior is being surrounded."
Carl and Elara come rushing back to hear the noise of one man shouting. He condemns the tau warrior for being near them.
He says, "I don't believe you understand why being here is a good idea. This party is for imperial forces only. No tau are allowed over here until the study of our Purity Blade is done. You can go back to your kind unless you upset the balance of our alliance."
Suu backs up and replies, "I am only here to see Carl. We have news about what is going on."
He scoffs and looks at her with cold eyes, "You are lying. You already have an interest with him, so you can just tell us instead. He already punched one of the soldiers not too long ago. I assure you he may just shoot you in the face to be done with you."
Before anything can be done, Carl and Elara step forward with a unit of imperial guardians behind them.
Carl asks, "What is the meaning of this? Why are you shouting at her?"
The soldier turns to Carl, "This xeno filth does not belong here with us. She needs to go back to her hut and leave imperial matters to only us."
Suu nervously keeps backing up until Carl steps forward, "It is alright, Shas'El Suu. This man appears to have a horrible understanding. So, I'll make it clear to you all."
Before he can speak, the man interrupts, "Why do we continue to ally ourselves with the tau? They have nothing to offer us and only wish for us to join their empire. They deserve a bullet to the skull and a swift death. We must continue to wipe away all other life forms in this galaxy in order for humanity to take its rightful place."
The words sting Carl strongly and he steps to the man, "You will mind your tongue soldier and remember what Noble One has order us to do. The tau are our allies and we have an open alliance with them. We are here to gain any and all help against the enemy should we need it. The glory of humanity is more than a personal gain for us. We came here to stop the forces of Malice and prevent the danger he is to Xoen. If the tau can help us, so be it. If the eldar want to assist us, we are glad for it. For now, you will keep the peace and do as our leader says. Or, are you challenging his right and my right to rule?"
The man and Carl stand face to face. There is a moment of silence and waiting. Suddenly, they step back and remove their jackets. Other people back up and give them room. Suu comes to Elara and asks her what is going on.
Elara looks at her with a slightly grin, "The man wishes to show and lead the imperial guard. So, he is going to challenge Carl for the right. The only winner of this will be someone left alive."
Suu gasps at the idea and tries to stop them. Elara holds her back as the two men pop their knuckles and stand ready. The man takes the first few steps to Carl. He tries a jab, but Carl easily dodges it. The rage is locked up, but they are ready to unleash it. Carl makes a move on the man and pops his head with a good left. The man staggers and keeps his balance. He moves at Carl and kicks his leg. The method nearly forces Carl to fall; a hard right comes at Carl, but he leans forward and surprises his opponent with an uppercut. Carl sweeps his leg under the man and causes him to fall. The man rolls to the side and stands back up.
By the second round, Carl is barely hurt and his opponent is weak. The side hurts, the jaw is in pain, and the legs are weak. Carl waits calmly for him to try.
Carl says, "You are a weak soldier. Stand down and do not continue. I may show you mercy."
The man tearfully cries, "Never!"
Suu watches with nervous eyes only to see Carl leap at the man with a hard right hook to the head. The attack works and everyone cheers. Only Suu sees the horror of a mad dog. Before the fight is over, Carl asks for his bolter gun. He takes it and comes over to the man. Suu didn't believe Carl is about to kill him. The man looks up and sees the gun aiming at him. To everyone's surprise, Suu lays in front of the man. Carl, Elara, and everyone wants to know why she is doing this.
Suu begs, "Please, do not kill him. He didn't know what kind of fighter you were. He has lost the fight and doesn't need to die. Carl, please don't kill him. He is unworthy of death and needs to live to learn from his mistake."
Elara steps forward, "You would dare interfere with imperial law? This is the way of our codex. The man challenged Carl for his right to command. He lost and is unworthy of staying alive. He must die as an example to all."
Carl looks at the man only to see Suu grabbing him and forcing his hand down. A few hands are ready to grab their weapons.
Suu starts to cry, "Please, I beg you. Do not kill him. He is not worth shooting. His death may improve your soldiers morale, but there is a better way. Please, I ask for his life to be spared this day."
The crowds can't believe Suu is crying for a person who wanted to harm her. Carl sighs heavily and lowers his weapon.
He comes to the man and says, "Your life is spared this day. Get yourself to the medic and never challenge me again. The next time will be your last."
Two soldiers help him up and take him to the medic. The crowds leave the area and Suu thanks Carl for not killing him. He agrees to escort her home in case others decide to do her harm. Elara orders everyone to be ready to climb aboard the Purity Blade within two hours. As Carl walks with Suu, he wonders why she saves the same person that would have killed her.
Carl asks, "Why did you stop me from killing him? He and I knew the risk of the challenge. You had no right to come in between imperial duties."
Suu stops and turns to Carl, "There is more to this life than doing your duty to your empire. As I have my own duties for the tau empire, I still desire affection and the need for love. I can not and refuse to just live for a lifetime of war and pain. This is why the tau empire is fighting to keep its borders safe from the other kinds of danger out in the galaxy. Be it this one or the next one, the dangers of of life must not always be the something we endure every day. This is one of my reasons for why I wanted you to join our cause. Are you not tired of the fighting? Do you wish to live in a peaceful life? How many others must die before you say that this is enough? I am fighting to have that future for myself and look forward to living to see an old age. What do you live for other than war, Carl?"
Carl replies, "When our enemies are gone, only then will peace come to us. When there are no threats in this galaxy, the future will be secure for us. There can be no peace or future so long as there are dangerous foes out there. You see things only from the view of a person who wishes for the future to be full of joy and happiness. How can there be a future with the orks around? Where do the Sons of Malice strike from? How long before the undead Necrons come to challenge us? What type of evil does the Hive Mind produce? You wonder why I continue to see war as my realm. Look at what is around us every day, night, morning, and planet. This is the life I will continue to live and I won't stop until my own life ends."
As they continue to walk, the imperial army returns back to the Purity Blade.
Chapter 10: Section 10 - 4
There is a moment of weakness for Suu. She still admires his strong determination and wants nothing more than to ensure his genetic line is continuing within the tau. Carl looks at her to see her eyes brighten up. Instead, she turns away from him and breathes hard. Carl continues to walk her back to her cottage. Despite the sunlight still on the horizon, the hour is late and soon, it will be time to leave. Upon arriving, Suu sighs.
Carl asks, "What is bothering you?"
Suu looks into his eyes and raises her hand to his face, "I don't want you to go. I rather you stay here with me more than anything. I want the wars to end and you to live with me. Regardless if you and I have children or not."
He pulls away from her and looks at the Purity Blade, "You know where my loyalty lies at. A future with you is a death sentence for me or exile. I only want you to achieve your empire's objective, Suu."
She hugs him one last time as he tries to walk off. Carl continues to look at the ship, and recalls the words of the imperial guard. Suu nearly cries, but she lets him go. He must return home. With his mind set for the next battle, Suu watches him leave and whispers some words for him. Though he hates her for the unseen act, she can't help but feel something for him. Carl walks away, but Suu feels her heart tighten.
"Please, come back to me. I still need you, Carl."
There is a hammer striking the metal. A muscle bends here and twists here as they work up a sweat. The breathing is hard and heavy from all of the strains. It is physically taking a toil on the body to complete the task. The pay off in the end will be when the time comes to use the weapon and armor in battle. It takes time to make the armor and weapon work correctly, but this is what the imperial guard is good at. They are the hammer of the imperium and everything will be a bloody stain on the ground. In another section, it is a delicate method going on. The eyes and mind are studying the small details of the technology. There can be no mistake or the results will vary. A few can receive a shock and others can see smoke. The more serious methods can cause fire and lead to explosions. The tech teams of Xoen do their duty to keep the machines in top condition; they bring their own sense of honor to the Omnissiah of the Machine Spirit. One team studies the design of creating more ships for the future. From the small details of weapon fire to the flight system, they hope to have a fleet of ships in a few years for the imperial navy to grow from here.
In a new section, groups of tech priests go over the schematics for the make and model of the tanks. The tanks, aircrafts, transport vehicles, and even the non-combative carts are looked over. The smallest of details and largest of errors are all being added to the tome of Lina. Though it is from the hands of a dead marine tech, she promises to make the future generations would come to honor it and keep it holy. Every piece of paper that comes to Lina with knowledge for the tome is heavily looked over. No ounce of taint can be present nor added to the holy tome. As things continue to progress on Xoen, a few places within the fortress have now been deem holy by Max to keep the morale high. He forbids people to make these objects their new form of worship; however, he lets them know that these objects are to be looked as items of knowledge and tribute to building the empire for the imperium of man. As he walks around through the fortress and checks on different areas, many people now look at Noble One Max Johnson as a hero, a saint, and some continue to worship him. Seeing these small things happening, Max decides to declare his intention to all over the communication device. He urges the officers, lieutenants, and sergeants to make sure his words are sent all over the fortress and settlements.
He announces, "To all people of the imperium, let this message be heard by all of you. I am not your God for there is only one that we all serve. We are not to worship artifacts or items of a higher power. I do not want anyone to give their offerings to any item as a sign of worship. If you must look to something for inspiration, look to the Immortal Emperor of humanity. It is he that took us far into the galaxy and helped us shape it as it is. Now, we must continue that work out here. Do not look to me as your savior. I shall only lead you all into the jaws of battle as we make the non-believers see why they will fail. Continue your work, bring honor to your house, and most of all, remember these words when all else is dark. We serve the Emperor as faithful followers and bring honor to him. We enhance the knowledge to gain the Great Omnissiah's understanding. We are the Imperial Army and this is our legacy."
Max didn't think his speech would be as powerful and motivating as a space marine; however, it did more than just give the people a courage. It brought them the one thing they have been taught to never have. Lock within their hearts and giving them a reason to push on is hope. They whisper in silence that hope is bad and it brings them nothing. Many now look at hope as a way to see that tomorrow will be better than ever. Max finishes up his daily walk inside the chambers of Lina. All around him are the workings of the tech teams, engineers, data analyst, tech priests, and so much more. There is nothing that keeps them more excited than adding more to the tome with Lina's approval.
He walks to the back as everyone leaves. Many still speak of tech, data, weapons, armor, and gear that will please the Omnissiah greatly. In the back of the area and continuing her study, Max finds Lina looking over the tome with dedication. He stands by to hear and watch her work so hard to see what is worthy of being added.
Lina says, "By the blessing of the machine spirit and Omnissiah's grace, this data needs more before I can add it to the Tome of Xoen. The tech priest understands the function, yet she fails to see why it is important when it comes to adding it to our latest weapons. She needs more time with it. Ah, I see the data for the latest information has been carefully looked over. It is simple for an engineer to keep revisiting this. It will always be useful for the future down the road. I hope the person is getting some sleep from including this. Wait, what is this? Did a tech expert make a mistake on the...no! This is the first step going down the road to ruin. He should..."
Max interrupts, "He should not include anything that will make the tome tainted. Hello, Lina and what is it that a tech expert did wrong?"
She turns to him and angrily says, "The foolish tech person believes or thinks that attachments under 'special' rites should enhance our firepower. This kind of heresy is why the fallen tech priests of Mars join the chaos followers. They believed in dark technology giving them an advantage over their foes and including 'gifts' that will make anyone bound to more than just their work. I would have the person punished, but it is not my word."
He comes to her and adds, "This is a slight problem. For now, you are the one that calls the important decisions for what is added to the Tome of Xoen. So, after you remove this taint, punish the person how you see fit. I trust your judgement, Lina. And, I am sure you will help them understand why you disagree with this being added."
Lina looks back at the paper and agrees to hold onto it until the next day. They both take a moment to step out from the study room to enjoy what they see. From the tall towers to the smallest buildings, the imperial fortress is growing each day as much as everyone can work.
Max says, "The first settlement will be done within a few years. I can't believe how fast everyone is making this work. I didn't think they would be so willing to setup home here so fast."
She agrees and points to the distant settlements, "In a few more years, this area of the planet will be a fortress city where all the best come to continue the Emperor's plan and discover the Omnissiah's technology. I do wish that Lucas was here with us to enjoy what we made. He would be proud."
Max and Lina smile at the accomplishments. He looks out the corner of his eye and sees an unusual object flash. Max excuses himself and goes to the area. It continues to flash over and over. Max hurries over to it; he arrives at the scene in five minutes only to see nothing. He looks around to see nothing and no one is there.
He thought, "What was that? Did the warp just appear here?"
Out from the shadows, she says, "To lure the enemy, one must be willing to play a tune for them to follow. After the prey falls into the snare, it is easy to dispose of them."
Max whips around to see Kayleth. He growls at the sight of her; she keeps her hand on her blade should Max try anything.
He says, "What do you want, Kayleth? Why are you here again?"
She replies, "I come here of my own free will. There are no other aeldari with me. I am here to offer you knowledge, if you will accept it."
He leans against a wall nearby to listen. Kayleth continues, "I am here to inform you that the aeldari will require your help in the future when it is time for us to commit our army against the Sons of Malice. Once farseer Xiwe learns of their location, we shall strike at them before they expect us."
Max coldly asks, "Why tell me this when you plan on leaving this galaxy? We have our plans for attacking the enemy and the tau are willing to assist us. You waste your time with words, Autarch Kayleth."
Kayleth locks her emotions tight and calmly moves to him, "I give you this knowledge as a sign of cooperation. I hope we can look past each other's own difficult issues and work to stop a common enemy. Won't you accept the offer?"
He quickly says, "Very well, we accept whatever information you have. Now, leave. If you have anything else, give it to Lina and she will go by the coordinates."
Max tries to leave only for Kayleth to call to him. He turns to her and they continue.
She says, "What of your own plans to attack the enemy? Did you plan for the orks in case they attack us?"
He ignores her words and leaves. Before he can get away, Max feels the wind blow from behind his back. He turns to see her expression become serious.
Max says, "I hope this isn't your way of trying to force me to share sensitive details with you. It won't work."
Kayleth keeps trying to keep her emotions locked, but she says, "Max, this is important for your people. I only want..."
To her surprise, Max moves to her with incredible speed. It causes her to freeze as she feels his hand on her weapon. Kayleth is stun and unable to move for her weapon. The fear of Max using his blank power keeps her on the side of caution.
He says, "Last I recall, your farseer tried to kill me. You tried to leave us here in this galaxy to save your own people. You made it clear that me loving you is something that will never happen. This whole time we have been together and not once did you share a single thing with me unless it benefits your kin. Why are you not leaving us in peace? Why do you continue to not let me be in peace? What other reason do you have for coming here to warn me and my people?"
She breathes hard and shakes slightly. Max notices this and backs only two steps away from her.
Kayleth shows a sign of worry and answers, "I do this for my people and your people as well. I don't want...I do not wish to see us fail when there is time to change this."
Max interprets her words, "You mean that you wish to change what is going on between us. This is more than a change for this galaxy and you see something that no one else can."
She slowly backs away and corrects him, "That is not the case. I only do this for the future my people can have. You only see what you wish to see."
He replies, "No, I see the words of someone who can't tell me the truth. How long before you keep up with the lies? How many riddles will you spin?"
Kayleth annoyingly roars, "This has nothing to do with us! Our survival against the enemy is all that matters to me!"
Max screams, "This has everything to do with us! You believe telling me will fix our bad times between us? I fight for..."
He catches himself and steps away from her. Kayleth seals her lips and turns away. As they both leave, Max is annoyed and angry. Kayleth is upset and frustrated. She turns back to see him and sighs. She calls to him one last time; Max stops and turns to her. She is close to him and gives him a small device made by aeldari hands; he looks at it and questions the reason for it.
Kayleth says, "It will blink one day and I hope your are there to help us stop them."
With her final words given, Kayleth leaps back into a web way portal. Max looks at the device. It reminds him of the amulet he once had on Saneesh. As the issues between them continue, they wonder what else is going to happen when they face the Sons of Malice and the orks of Tharacka.
Chapter 10: Section 10 - 5
The Purity Blade takes off and makes it way back to Xoen. With the ork threat no longer on Tova'Sho, the tau can continue their work in peace. Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais address the people and the military on the new challenges they face.
Commander Shas'O Kais says, "All units are to continue their patrols on the outskirts of the fotress. The orks were our first threat; we must ensure that no more dangers are coming to Tova'Sho. Fire warriors and pathfinder teams are to advance as far as they can into the wild and make sure the area is clear of all wild life. Only when everything is safe can the next phase of the city formation start. Good hunting to you all."
Aun El Rai continues, "Thanks to the efforts of the tau, kroot, vespid, and imperial allies, we stand on secure grounds and ready for anything that will show up. We must go forth and not stop in the face of danger and evil. We will stand against the foolish, the mad, the damn, and the soulless. The Greater Good will prevail and all will bear witness to our victory. We will triumph."
Suu happily smiles at the success they are making, but her heart is still longing to share her life with Carl. She is still sad for not telling him about the future she wants to ensure his family line. Hopefully, when the war is truly over, there would be time for her to break the bad news to him. Suu believes that once he hears that his DNA failed to produce life between them, everything will be ok. Her team of fire warriors and pathfinder scouts move through the area looking for anything new to discover. Nearly every flower has been taken for study and various animals are added to the log. The land is being marked as they go and concrete is being added to make the road. It would be a long time before a city can be made, but the need to grow is always fought with challenge and danger. They all come to a stop and use the moment to rest up. Many fire warriors take in what they see and enjoy the view. The trees are nice and the long, open plane is a great view. There is tall grass and nice water holes around the area.
One fire warrior says, "This is perfect for us to travel. The land is rough, but we can handle it. The long hunters will always get the prey."
A kroot fighter adds, "I am anxious to see the pack hunt through this terrain. It would do them good to be back on familiar grounds."
Suu smiles a little at how glad her teams are. She sees the land in front of them as an opportunity to grow into better fighters on the world. The only thing keeping her from completely smiling is Carl not being there with her.
She thought, "This is perfect for me. I wish Carl would have stayed longer to enjoy what I see here. He would have liked to face the challenge."
Before she can do anything else, a small branch breaks. The tau warriors and kroot packs go into alert mode. Suu looks around to see if there is anything around. There are no orks or other dangerous wild life. They all turn in every direction, but they didn't see anything. Instead of using the technology of her helmet, Suu removes it and tries using her sight. She looks around the area and keeps hearing soft foot steps. Suu looks at the ground. A soft giggle is heard; she isn't glad to know that it is someone is playing a joke on them.
Suu says, "I have found you. Reveal yourself and step from the shadows. Your abilities have made our technology worthless to scan for you."
With her cloaking no longer needed, Shelia reveals herself. The others move in, but Suu orders them to stand down. Shelia is glad that the tau warrior shows some restraint.
Shelia says, "It is good to know that the 'young' tau children can show more patience than the mon-keigh. I see that your people may be the next ones to surpass humanity in this galaxy."
Before another work is spoken, Suu questions Shelia, "Why are you here? What brings you to Tova'Sho? If you have anything on this world, take it and go. Be happy I am offering you the chance to leave."
Shelia giggles at Suu, "Your time with Carl has made you more direct to the point. You have learned much from him. But, if you must know, the imperial army will be gathering with us at a certain planet to stop the orks and Sons of Malice. My leaders have knowledge of the sector; the time for us to stop them is coming. If your empire wish to be secure, then they should join us. Maybe Carl will lead the assault."
Suu accepts the information and sends her team back to the fortress to inform everyone.
She asks, "So, Shelia of the craft world. Why come here and tell us this all alone? You must have a reason for showing here with no help."
Shelia removes her mask and replies, "I come here alone to ensure my orders are done as my autarch commands. She sees a great battle coming if we do not join now and stop the enemy. The entire galaxy here will be in darkness if we do not stand now. I am sure the tau do not want to fail when there is so much to achieve."
Suu is unable to believe some of the words Shelia told her; however, the threat of orks and dark followers do concern her. She puts aside any thoughts of harming or attacking the aeldari harlequin. Before Suu goes, she is left with a message.
Shelia says, "Before this conflict occurs, you would do well to steel your mind and think less of what your wants are for him. Carl is..."
She is interrupted and Suu steps to her, "He is the one whose line I shall continue in the name of the Greater Good. I have already heard your words of the threat that comes to us, so I will convince my commander and ethereal to fight by your side. We are not going to fight for you."
With the exchange of words over, Suu leaves the area to report back to her commander. Shelia opens a web way portal and leaps though it. A few tau fire warriors question Suu about the sudden surprise from the eldar.
Suu answers, "The eldar gives us word that a dangerous foe is waiting for us. We can finish up our scouting and report back to the fortress. If there truly is a threat coming, then we must be ready for it."
The tau warriors and kroot packs finish scanning the landscape. Instead of going further out, they keep their journey short and return back to home. Suu sends her unit leaders off and she goes to the tower. Along the way, she contacts Shas'O Kais and Shas'El Asuki; they respond and gladly make their way to the tower. The news of this interesting development would set their course for war. After arriving at the tower and waiting for the others, Suu speaks with Aun El Rai, Shas'O Kais, Asuki and a few active leaders. She opens the statement with an aggressive approach.
She says, "The time has come for the tau to firmly secure our future against the enemies of the Greater Good. I stand here before you all and bring to you a message from an unlikely friend within the eldar craft world. Shelia has informed me that the imperial army and the eldar will attack a planet the enemy is on. It is important that we fight this threat with the imperium of man than let it fester among the stars. If we pause and wait for the enemy to grow stronger, our position in this sector will be at risk. I ask that you take this matter serious than expansion."
A peaceful supporter says, "This source of information is a lie. The eldar are trying to use our military might. They are giving the humans the same source of the threat. We don't need to concern ourselves with what they do. This is nothing more than their own plan to further weaken us."
A tau scientist continues, "Even if we did lend our strength to the eldar, what can we hope to gain from this? The empire we are making here on Tova'Sho is going to shine brighter than anything they produce. It is best for us to continue our research and improve on our defenses before the enemy reveals their forces to us."
A fire warrior senior disagrees and replies, "If this is our chance to snuff out our enemies, then we should use this opportunity to do so. Shas'El Suu brings up the critical point that we have been thinking. We should act on it before it is too late."
A kroot pack leader roars, "The shapers and packs are willing to fight, but we are not so eager to wait until the danger is upon us. Let us hunt down this source with just our packs; we will report what we consume and find. This will be the perfect time to continue weakening our foes."
Commander Shas'O Kais steps to the center floor and calms the chatter. He says, "The eldar have chosen to give us information about the enemy. We can stay here and continue our plans to expand on this planet, but what is to stop the enemy from making something dangerous enough to destroy Tova'Sho. I have seen enough to know that the enemy is doing something that will put us back on the offensive. The need to fight them is great and keeping them alert for our assaults will always leave them guessing. Even if the attacks only stop them from expanding, this buys us more time to complete our weapons, armor, ships, tanks, and fortress to repel anything that is thrown at them. I see both sides of the argument as grand for the empire, but it falls to Aun El Rai."
Kais turns to him and gives El Rai the floor. He walks over and looks at everyone. He turns to Suu and pats her shoulder.
Aun El Rai broadcasts to all: "To all Fire warriors, stealth teams, pathfinders, and kroot packs, this is a war alert going to all. The tau will find the enemy among the stars with the imperial army. The Greater Good must now strike back and eliminate any future threats. This is not a drill and our time is now."
With the message given, everyone begins to prepare their teams. Aun El Rai and Commander Shas'O Kais support Suu and her plan to rid this sector of any ork and chaos followers. Suu looks forward to battling the enemy, but Shas'El Asuki sees pass the war. She approaches Suu and questions her.
She asks Suu, "I understand that the eldar were here to make sure we provide them with support, but I don't think that is all of what this is about."
Suu lowers her eyes and replies, "The eldar harlequin Shelia believed me to be ore focused on Carl than on what is to come. I ignored her words and made sure she understands that I will continue his trait to give tau generations a stronger chance against the enemy."
Asuki giggles a little, "It seems you have made your choice regardless. But, I do recall that in a few days, you will be given to another regardless if it is Carl or not."
Suu nods her head and goes off to rally her team. Asuki does the same; the tau would bring what they need to face the enemy once more on the field of battle. Back on Xoen, Carl and Elara report to Max and everyone around them learns of the chance they will have to strike back at the enemy. With the soldiers gathering supplies and gearing up for war, there is a small conversation between them once more. Max, Lina, Carl, and Elara share what they should expect from the enemy.
Max looks down to see the aeldari device blink and says, "The time is now. Kayleth will contact us to give the coordinates on where to go. I know that I told you all the aeldari are excommunicatus from us, but this war will be our time to stop the Sons of Malice and the orks. If they can guide us to the enemy, then we shall bring the wrath of the imperial guard with us. It will be our time to stop the enemy and halt any future plans they have for us. So, let this be our time. The imperial guard will do more than just win."
Carl smirks and adds, "The orks won't know what hit em. We will have the advantage this time and there will be no surprises for us. I've been waiting for this day since we came here. We may never go back to the Milky Way, but this is our home. And I'll defend it until I die."
Lina comes over with a data pad, "All status for the ships are green and ready. We can take both ships with us. All cryo pods are no longer on the War Harbinger. We will be taking only half of the troops with us. The Purity Blade will have only thirty thousand people on board. It should remain just below orbit for additional support."
Elara proudly states, "I was glad to have joined you on this journey. I expect the enemy to fall before our might. I will do what I can to give the imperium of man a future worth having. How long before we can cut down the ork horde and chaos tide?"
As the imperial and tau army continue to ready themselves for battle, the aeldari bring the Faded Light to the known location of their enemy. From the top level, they watch and study what has been done to the planet. Kayleth, Veldoran, Shelia, and Xiwe look at the monitors. They see that the planet has guests already on it. In one section of the planet, the orks of Tharacka ravage the landscape. The two ork roks manage to crash onto the surface with more than enough orks. It didn't take the green horde long to build a second ship out of the pieces they could find on the surface. With everything slowly coming to a climax, the battle would decide who is the victor. The aeldari of Ctho and Alaitoc stand ready; the Orks of Tharacka are eager and the Sons of Malice are always silent. In the Primarex system, the tau and imperial army continue to be ready as they would join their unusual allies in battle against the enemy.
