chapter four: Trenches
Nu'Vel focused on the sound of the rain.
His mind cleared as he focused on the sound of the rain hitting off the makeshift roof of the forward camp. It had been a month since the black wall appeared, seemingly overnight.
As he recalled from the briefing, the site was once home to a skirmish between the orks and a short lived alliance with the imperial guard.
The entire land was mutilated with trench after trench, there were reports of an object suddenly appearing in kronus's orbit before making land fall near the green coast.
A large amount of the coast's forest had been burned down and strange enough a wall like structure was growing a day after.
The reports soon died down with the large explosion at what was once the ork's main camp, all that remained was a large crater.
Whoever.
A day later a massive army was seen by drones scouting near leaving the wall.
And heading towards ta'shuun.
Aun'el shi'ores had sent diplomat's to the wall in hopes of avoiding conflict with a new, unknown force and perhaps gain an ally.
They haven't been heard from since.
Suddenly, nu'vel's concentration was interrupted by a familiar face.
"What?, still spacing out before missions?".
"Come now bah'ro, there's no need for that". The aforementioned fire warrior let go of nu'vel as the third tau walked over to join them.
Nu'vel's fellow fire warriors were bah'ro and a'val, he had known the two ever since he had joined the tau military. By luck or something more he seemed to always find himself with them on missions or deployments, even outside of combat.
"Sorry, i take it that it's time for the briefing?".
A small number of the tau force was sent to intercept the still unknown force moving towards them.
Nu'vel, Bah'ro and ah'val were among the numbers in the makeshift command post while the rest where station among the trenches outside.
"The enemy forces have begun to reach the first sector, you are to hold the first sector until we receive word from our forward scouts".
"Whoever, if they do not or cannot send word back then we will have no choice than to consider this a declaration of war".
Sha'el null kauis paused to allow his troops time to take in his words, he couldn't help but wonder about the strange force he was about to face. He couldn't help but think of the ways things could end badly from one single decision made by him, he pushed those thoughts aside thinking on only the negatives would do no good.
"Take up your positions and ready yourselves. For the greater good".
With that the fire warriors begun to exit the command post.
"Nu'vel, Bah'ro, Ah'val. I need to speak with you".
They stopped and exchanged looks of confusion as they obliged they're superior.
Sha'el nul kauis leand on the device in the centre of the 'command room', a few terminals manned by earth cast tau and a rectangular 'table' which the three fire warriors stood around.
On it was displayed a holographic real time map of the battlefield, marked on it was the various positions of defence that they were able to put up along with the positions of the various tau troops that manned them.
On the side that nul kauis stood was a massive force of red dots that advanced towards the defensive line.
And too quickly at that.
"You three are going to be put on a covert operation." he gestured to the map, specifically to a dot that was larger than the others "each of the unit's appear to emit a traceable energy signature, we believe this one to be in a position of leadership or importance."
"An assassination?." bah'ro mused.
"Yes. They may utilise a means of coordination similar to that of the tyranids."
"Nu'vel will be the sniper, I've heard of your marksmanship. I'm sure it will come in handy." nul kauis turned to bah'ro. "Bah'ro will provide fire power Incase any of you are discovered. Ah'val will scout out the way incase of any enemy activity along the way.".
Sha'el nul kauis moved to open a nearby container, handing over to nu'vel a heavily modified raile rifle.
Nu'vel checked it over.
"A prototype." Nul kauis explained "While it packs more of a punch compared to most weapons it practically has no fire rate to speak of.".
Nul kauis moved back to the map.
/
The rain poured as the three maneuverd around the rocky ridges that overlooked the area.
Distant booms of thunder echoed in the distance, a sea of red lights could be seen for miles.
"Damn."
"Looks like we'll have an easy time getting to the nest" ah'val typed away at the pad she held as the two scout drones returned from their patrol.
"The fool's. They expect us to hold out against that?".
What else could they do, the majority of the tau army on kronus was currently battling the blood ravens with shas'o Kai's at it's head. Even if they had finished the battle there was no telling if they could make it back in time to bolster what remained of the forces here.
"Don't seem to have a choice" bah'ro rebutted nu'vel as the three made their way.
The sniper nest wasn't much, four pole's held up a camouflaged tarp.
The three set about readying for the operation, nu'vel unslung the rifle and made some last few checks before getting into a fireing position while bah'ro readyed for a possible ambush. Ah'val had sent the drones out to scout around the area just in case there was anything missed.
/
The roar of gunfire consumed the land as rounds of plasma and nanomatter were exchanged.
Fire warrior's launched their salvos at the encroaching cyclopean machines, defending themselves with flash formed shields as they advanced.
The sea of red would be occasionally illuminated by the thunderstrikes showing the tau their enemy for a brief moment.
But that moment was all they needed.
Along with doing the obvious and shooting at the red orbs those with heavy artillery had used that moment to lock on to the position of the machines and fired, clouds of dirt and steel exploded from the ground.
However.
The legions of machines continued forward without end.
And the tau's endless hail of munitions responded in kind.
Suddenly, a blazing light pierced the darkness of the night. And incinerated the fire warriors.
"..." in contrast to his surroundings, the knight shone as though the night was an illusion enforced further by his sword that blazed like the sun.
The army of machines marched past him, the ashes of the enemy falling like snow among the rain.
It wasn't long before the bolts of plasma rained down once more. His azure cloak swayed slightly along the wind "I see, quite impressive" the knight strode as he joined the assault.
The hailstorm of tau projectiles was frantic, not helped by the constant assault from the practically impossible weapons that they deployed.
All they could see of it was a crimson garment, blitzing across the battlefield accompanied by an endless volley of rifles and bullet's.
Discarded rifles were the only sign that it had carved it's way through area, what befuddled most was the rifles that materialised and some how suspended themselves in the air and fired, even though there was no visible means for the primitive firearms to fire.
"Well, it can't be helped. A small force like this pulling out the big guns against an army like ours makes sense" The crimson blur's feminine force spoke out, seemingly to no one.
Deep behind the mechanical legion it stood.
Towering over it's fellow drones, back covered in inward curving spikes. It's entire right forearm was a twisting, jagged cannon infact it's form too was twisting and jagged creating an image of an obsidian demon of steel. Black vapor wisped off it's joint's and the crimson orb at the centre of it's skull glared at the distant battle.
"Hmm... while i must admit their resilience is impressive I'm unsure if you should've done all of this just to prove a hunch".
"Perhaps...but if I'm proven then we've much to do" it replied.
The person that accompanied it could best be described as a 'beach beauty', which explained her out of place attire.
The only thing that stood between her and the rain was the beach parasol in her hands.
/
The demonic machine was in his sights.
The rain raged all around him, thunder in the distance.
The familiar sounds of battle could be heard, muffled a bit thanks to distance.
Nu'vel readied himself as he wrapped his finger around the trigger.
The iron demon waved it's arm to and fro, directing the legion of steel.
Strangely, there was a scantily clad human accompanying it. He paid this no mind.
Soon, silence took over as the Myriad cacophony of sound died down. All that came to nu'vel's hearing was his own heart beat.
The rain raged on, the wind blew on, the battle in the distance waged on.
Then.
The entire battle field was Illuminated by a mighty bolt of thunder.
And.
/
"Huh?".
Lancer's fox ears perked up.
"Did you hear somethi-".
As she turned to ask the machine she found it no longer standing next to her.
Instead it was now collapsed on the ground, the black wisps no longer moving as a black semi-liquid oozed from it's joints and far more from the hole where the right half of it's head was.
"...And it was new too" a drone complained as it walked over.
"I didn't even get to try it" lancer sighed as the machine started to breakdown into more of the obsidian fluid.
A massive construct flew overhead as it charged forth.
/
"The targets been eliminated".
And yet.
The legions of machines battled on.
"Damn".
"Ah'val" bah'ro turned to her "send word back to command, of course things weren't going to be that easy".
As nu'val stood up he couldn't help but feel as though...as though something was wrong.
"What?" It was quite the rare sight of ah'val being puzzled by something, especially the thing puzzling her being the pad that was practically attached to her. "Something's jamming the connection. It wasn't there a few minutes ago".
In that split second, it was as if a higher power or something else had invaded his mind and had forced a limited foreknowledge unto him.
"Wha-!" nu'val tackled ah'val to the ground.
"Bah'ro!".
The nest, the spiked wall of rocks behind them.
Everything above bah'ro's waist.
Was suddenly gone.
The rain pelted his visor has he glared at the towering, looming metal beast.
All he could make out of it in the darkness was the glowing geometric green shapes across its 'chest' and what could have been it's 'mouth', the things yellow 'eyes' glared back.
And then a bolt of thunder illuminated it.
A humanoid shape, horns on the sides of it's head. Six blades, three each extending from it's forearms.
"Getter..." it spoke.
"...Wing"
Massive bat like wings sprung from it's back and flew off.
In the direction of ta'shuun.