The sound of war reached General Gearts ears as they came over the brow of a hill, flashes could just be seen over the brow of the next. Geart gave the hull of his APC an excited thump, his eyes fixed on the point where the battle would rise into view, willing his force forward. He bellowed down to Poiller in the command Chimera, 'Get me Craft!'
'Sir?
'Craft! Major Craft! Get him on the vox you fool!' Geart gave a grunt as he turned back to the scene before him. He would enjoy this, leading the Collodians to cleansing the planet of Xeno infestation. It would be his finest hour. Poiller spoke through his Vox channel. 'Major Craft is on the channel for you Sir.'
'Very good.' Geart Replied, a slight pop indicated the Major had been put through. 'Craft! Are you there?'
'Aye Sir! How can I help?' Came the crisp reply.
'Glorious isn't! The march to battle!' Geart almost singing to the Major in his anticipation.
'Quite! I'm sure you will deliver a mighty blow to the enemy.'
'Indeed we will! But I need you to break of from the main group.' Geart said more seriously
'Oh? To what end, Sir!?' Craft clearly intrigued by the Generals suggestion.
'Break away to the left, by the woodland, do you see it? Craft stuck his head out from his own Chimera, and looked across the field of vehicles, spotting the veteran commander just behind in the centre of the column, his power fist waving wildly.
'Don't look at me! The trees, man. The trees!' Geart urged over the vox. The Major turned to see a small area of woodland as the General said.
'To what end, Sir?'
'Take you detachment over to there, I want you to come out behind the heavy guns. Then you can blow those bastards sky high, and keep them from filling us with holes while you're at it.' Craft could hear the confidence in Geart's voice.
'At once Sir.' He replied politely, dropping into the APC. He flicked a switch, cutting off Geart, broadcasting to his entire force. 'Detachment Hammerblow, this Major Craft. Break off from main advance, proceed North, Northwest to woodland being marked upon your displays now.' Craft gently placed a beacon on the scanners with a few gentle button presses. 'We are to attack the hostile force from this position once the main force has engaged them.' He cut the channel, and slumped into his chair.
He glanced at the guardsmen next to him, the blood from his slit throat starting to dry on his flak armour. The man had no idea what was happening to him, thankfully the driver was sealed in the cockpit and unaware of what had transpired. He span to look at La'Keel, the prisoner he had freed from Imperial Custody.
'That's lucky isn't it?' He said
It turned out that the tau woman had a basic understanding of low gothic, apparently having worked on some research into imperial technology and picking up the language from a human assistant. When Craft had expressed his interest in joining the Tau by shooting her guards she had told him he would need to get to an ambassador to join him with them.
The Major still had no idea how to get away from the rest of his detachment, but he was at least now away from the brutish Generals interference. He was sick of the pointless violence, he had even tried to join the greater good once before, but he was 'rescued' in an ambush and forced to play along, much as he hated the imperial guard, he didn't want to die.
'What now?' La'keel asked, her understanding of low gothic was just short phrases.
'Delay attack, then escape.' Craft said slowly, he was getting used to her simple communication now, but was aware the Tau designer was far from unintelligent. When he had given her a lasgun, she quickly worked out how to use it, removing the ammo pack and replacing it, then taking it off auto after only a few moments of study. She had then described the weapon as 'Easy gun' Craft had assumed she meant it was basic technology to her. The Tau woman thought on what Craft had said before giving him an awkward thumbs-up.
He took great joy in the slaughter of the enemy, their forms torn apart under fire from his burst cannon. Nen'sho took sniping shots at high priority targets with his pulse rifle, men falling to the ground with every shot. He had lost a bodyguard to a missile, but he himself was unscathed. It was then he had received the transmission from one of his stealth squads. 'Enemy scout force spotted, hidden in minor cover. Moving to engage.'
He had thought very little of the report at first, he expect there to be surrounding units, that's what the stealth team were there for. It was only as heard the squad get cut down over the comms that he took further notice. The line had gone dead in moments. The Squad leaders channel cut off mid scream, the signal cut to the deputy channel for a moment, '…did he go? Stop that Gue…AARRRGH…' before that went dead a well.
He gazed across at the squads last known location, just behind a rocky outcrop, no sign of enemy activity. But Nen'sho was no fool , and if the enemy had out flanked them then even a small force could wreak destruction upon them. 'Crisis team Firewind, what is your situation.' He barked into the comm, whilst keeping a marine unit pinned with his burst cannon.
'Light resistance on our flank, Sir. We are just mopping up any men who get isolated.' Came the reply
'Break away and proceed to Stealth team Blackspy's last known location. Possible hostiles, attempting to outflank us.' He ordered, a swift affirmative reply came back. He watched as the Teams Jet packs burst into life and they headed to the new target. Nen'sho continued his methodical containment of the enemy forces, taking out anyone who gave him the opportunity.
Alishia and the guardsmen had been watching the battle unfold, the marines had started out dominating the Tau lines. But as the kroot aliens fells, the Tau heavy guns took advantage, focusing fire on the gaps in their lines. The sheer power of each force terrified her, the ground shook constantly as the armies killed and maimed, and the fact that her death could be at the hands of one of the aliens she now surveyed kept the fear she had with her constantly. Grimes seemed to be less effected by the scene before him, releasing small grunts and cheers as he witnessed events of marine heroics, Bannerman and Grant looked on quietly, both seemed on edge.
It was then that Grant lifted his head and looked to their left, a flurry of shots flew skywards from behind a rock pile catching his attention.
'Commissar?' he whispered, pointing at the source of the shots. Alishia looked, but the gunfire had burnt out by the time she looked.
'What do you see?'
'There are enemy units over there, presumably looking to outflank the marines, they may find us?' he said with a worried tone.
'Are you sure Grant?'
'Yeah, just saw some gunfire, energy shots, not our guys. And look!' he gestured towards the main battle. 'Those battle suits are heading over there now? '
Alishia watched the Battle suits jump away from the line, still maintaining a covering fire pattern. She realised that whatever had happened, there were Imperial forces over there, and this was where they could make a difference.
'Let get moving, we need to find out what's so interesting about that rock!' She said standing and running at the Trakarts.
'Are you sure that's a good idea?' Bannerman questioned, chasing after her.
'No!' She replied, twisting the throttle on the vehicle, dirt and grit flew from the slipping tracks, then propelled her away as they found grip. Grimes and Bannerman where left choking on her dust, the Corporal vaulted onto the second bike and went after her. The two guardsmen finally came to their senses and climbing on the last vehicle.
Alishia held tight as the farm transport bounced over rocks and potholes, the speed sending violent jolts through her body. She could see the battle suits getting closer to the sign of the disturbance, they had stopped covering their retreat now they had some distance from the melee below and they were maybe three jumps away from reaching the boulder.
She checked the Trakarts only mirror, she could just make out Corporal Grant behind her, the red of his chain sword standing out amongst the dust. She took this as her cue and slid her power sword out, and activated the power field.
The line of Imperial Armour rose over the hill like a metallic wave. The first row of hellhounds and leman russ tanks roaring into view of the battle below. Next came the General and the first chimeras, Geart was still riding in the cupola atop his vehicle, his power fist lift high into the air, cheering in lieu of the fight to come. He gestured for the spearhead to charge the enemy, the tanks sending shells streaking into the enemy lines, taking down fire warriors and battle suits. As the might of the Imperium powered down the hill toward the battle, the Tau lines began to buckle under the pressure from attacks on two fronts. The Sanguine Dragons had reacted with precision at the arrival of the Guard. The assault units withdrawing from combat to allow the guard free fire on the front line, the Kroot were massacred by the Hellhounds flamers, Leman Russ tanks engaged the Battle suits. Geart had the chimeras pull up in a column, and unloaded their troop cargo behind the armoured bulk of their chassis.
The kroot were left without direction, some chasing down the Sanguine Dragons, others leaping to face the new threat, but were left attacking with reduced numbers, and they were all cut down by lasgun or chain sword. The battle suits were holding the enemy off better, their manoeuvrability serving them well against the static line of the guards tanks. The Baal Predators of the Sanguine Dragons used their greater speed, sweeping around the retreating fire warriors, and taking on the Tau from the opposite flank, spurring on a second charge from the marines.
The heavy guns of the tau had reacted slowly to the new threat, but had begun slowly bringing the immense firepower at their disposal to bear on the enemy. The Broadsides sent supersonic munitions punching through the soft hulls of the enemy, destroying century old war machines in moments, their crews liquefied by the power of the weapons.
As the Tau recovered from the initial assault, the tide turned again in the favour of the great good, with the towering might of the Riptide leaping through fire, delivering punishing salvoes of fire with its Ion Accelerator. Return fire did little but stagger it, the heavy crystalline armour resisting imperial attack. Skyrays sent missiles flying over Gearts chimera line, the explosions tearing into any guardsmen that strayed too far back, a number of vehicles taking direct hits, huge blades of metal shredding bodies as they were torn from hulls.
Collus burst forward on wings of red energy, sailing over the enemy lines, landing upon the chassis of a XV8 sending burst cannon fire into the wall of chimeras. Collus charged his force spear with unnatural power before plunging it deep into the hard casing, through to the soft body of the pilot, his body decimated by the power of the warp exploding around him. The terrible form of the librarian rose from the wreckage, his ghostly wings spread wide behind him, crimson flame burning through the lenses of his dragon helm.
Geart had taken his command squad forward, under cover of his command chimera, it was heavily damaged, the driver forcing it to crawl forward, its machine spirit complaining at the mistreatment. Hhe approached the enemy, a Battle suit stood firing upon the marines, the pilot forgetting himself, failing to jump away. Geart gave the order, the team charging forward around the sluggish vehicle firing on the massive form before them. Sparks flew as shots landed, Gearts plasma pistol took out the flamer, its casing melting in the heat of the plasma.
The team's meltagun fired as they approached, an orange blast striking the torso. As the smoke cleared the huge hole left in the war machine was clear, the General leaping into the breach, putting his power fist into the head of the pilot trapped inside.
Nen'sho kept calm, keeping a steady pattern of calculated jumps, balancing his safety with the effectiveness of his firing position. His weapons sang, his heart sang, bathed in the glory of war. The venerable commander was keeping his force together, and taking a heavy toll on the enemy numbers when suddenly a group of new signals burst to life on his HUD. Friendly units, marked with a top priority marker, Nen'sho stared at the information with wide eyes.
He spun his battle suit and jumped, stretching the jump as far as possible, the thrusters on his suit wheezing as the suit came to land. He sent the order for a full fall back to the high ground, surrounding the new arrival. He landed heavily in front of the transport on the hill, he opened the top of his battle suit and glared at the figure before him, who merely looked passively back at him. Nen'sho spat with rage
'What are you doing here Aun'El!'
Wyn let out a garbled screech of code through his speakers, his attention drawn by a huge form that had appeared above the group. They all turned to see the recognisable outline of a Tau battle suit stood on the boulder above them. Two more of the giant forms appearing either side of the stone pedestal, weapons levelled at them. Jad leapt backwards, sweeping up his blade as the landed behind the group.
'Take Cover!' he yelled, Wyn and Mal moved instantly, diving away into what little protection the rocky outcrop provided them. Josla didn't move, she would not leave Varners body, Batty up close, pleading with her to move. Jad prepared for the worst when there was a blur of motion, sparks flew from one of the battle suits, its weapons sliced in two. A second blur sped past, a figure dived and rolled from the shape, Corporal Grant rose to see his Trakart decimate the other battle suit on the ground.
'Never thought that would work twice?' he exclaimed, as he ran up to Jad. Grimes and Bannerman slid up behind the enemy, Grimes had taken ownership of Nivvons Grenade launcher, and Bannerman still gripped his trusty lasgun though it would be all but useless here. The first trakart came around in a large turn, pulling up beside Grimes. The battle suit atop the boulder sent a blast at Jad and Grant, the Fusion Blaster incinerating a deep tunnel into the ground as the pair dived out of harm's way.
Grimes didn't hesitate, now the suits had attacked he needed no further invitation. The grenade launcher gave a whump and the grenade struck the suit to his left, its damaged arm still sparking. The detonation knocked the figure to the floor. Grant lifted himself from the floor and charged the fallen armour. Alishia ran at the other downed battle suit, it had survived the collision with Grants trakart and was lifting itself up. The ruined trakart casually tossed aside, Alishia vaulted the rolling remains of the transport as it crashed towards her and she plunged her power sword into the arm of the vehicle. She was left hanging their gripping the hilt of the sword, unable to attack the Tau warrior any further. Wyn emerged from cover, his melta gun held low, he paced slowly and methodically towards the blackened battle suit. He rapidly calculated the condition of the battle suit, aiming his gun at its massive bulk. Alishia closed her eyes.
Grant hacked away at the downed machine, his chain sword carving lines into the armour, but failing to penetrate it. The cold thump of metal on metal drew Grants attention, Mal had put his maul through the eye piece of the battle suit. The pair continue to attack the ruined form beneath them, hoping to disable it properly.
Jad had remained with his eyes fixed upon the figure upon the boulder. He felt a wash of heat to the side of him, Wyns meltagun decimating its target in the burning heat it produced, out the corner of his eye he saw Alishia fall from the disintegrating remains of the technologically armoured foe. Jad was aware that Josla had still not left Varners body, Batty had stuck by her, his lasgun held firm against his shoulder ready to defend her and Varner. The final battle suit made its move, aiming it pulse rifle at the huddled group in the centre. In a flash of light, Jadden was sailing above the weapon, white lighting arcing across his face and arms, the charged blade of his sword tore through the barrel of the gun. He landed a foot on the shoulder plate, his momentum carried him to an upright stance astride the suit. He casually swung his sword in large circles, charging it again with power, the massive blade glowing with energy. The pilot of the battle suit fired his jet pack, lifting it from its perch, as the shimmering blade was speared downward, splitting the sensor array and continuing deep into the body of the pilot with in. The suit soared skyward, the deceased pilot now unable to control the suit, massive bolts of incandescent warp energy flying from the shrinking form as it rose.
With a final crack of electricity, Jadden appeared back amongst the group. The energy he had used discharging across his psychoactive tattoos, the coat billowing out behind him. He quickly surveyed the area, spotting the form of the commissar laying several metres from the wreckage of the battle suit she had been hanging from. He ran across to her, sliding to his knees as he stopped.
'Come on, don't be dead! He whispered to himself, turning her over, brushing her blonde hair from her face. She had blood across the left side of her face. Jadden checked her for injury, Wyn paced up behind him.
'I calculated my shot to cause the least possible harm.'
'Shut Up Wyn!'
'I assure you, that any injury sustained…'
'Enough Wyn!' Jadden said firmly 'I understand.'
He unbuttoned her tattered great coat revealing the armoured clothing underneath. Checking up and down he saw no sign of injury.
'Steady there.' Came a soft voice, Jadden look up to see Alishia looking at him.
'Just a precaution.' He replied.
'Of course it was,' She said with a smile, 'Help me up?' lifting a hand to him. He helped her onto her feet. She brushed herself down, raised an eyebrow at Jad and buttoned her coat up once more. Everyone else grouped up around them. Mal put a hand on his leaders shoulder, and gestured into the distance 'Looks like bad news.'
Everyone looked where the small man was pointing. Atop a hill, now surrounded by the main tau force, and being chased down by imperial forces, was Aun'El Cha'riss Uanta. It was a disaster, any chance of a secret strike to take the Ethereal was lost, and now they would have to fight to get to him aswell.