(I am a huge 40k fan, I love the Tau Empire and the Eldar as well as just about everything it, I hope I do the Tau Empire Justice in this new RP i have been itching to do. Eldar and Space Marine Fans please join)




It is the 41st millennium and there is only war….




On the eastern fringes of the Imperium the Imperial Guard was launching a full invasion of a little known world on the fringes of know space. Saar-Diqualm was infact an Eldar craft world. The Imperial expeditions(I am not a pro on the Imperiam of man) deemed it worth of colonization and when the initial efforts reported they were under attack by unseen foes the imperial fleet slowly mobilized and brought the full might of the Imperial Guard to Sarr-Diqualm. Upon arrival the Exodites found them selves outnumbered and out gunned as the Imperial Navy took control over the space above the ripe planet.

The older race was not to be trifled with and the Eldar were quick to call every man woman and child to fight for their very survival. The Imperial guard however was treating this conflict with the brutality it was always known for. The Eldar were hitting the war machine of the imperial guard with guerilla tactics, but the Imperial guard could not be denied and was closing in on the besieged Eldar.

The seers on Saar-Diqualm requested help from the distant craft world Eldar. But help would probably arrive after the Imperial Guard had killed every last Eldar on the world. All seemed lost for the Eldar when the standing rangers on the world reported strange ships entering their atmosphere, and their Wraith ships hiding in the system sent word that the Imperial Navy was squaring off against a strange Alien fleet that had entered the system. The Eldar were confused, alarmed and relieved when the first of this race’s pulse weapons struck into the unrelenting Imperial lines.

“GET IT TOGETHER SHASLA!” Shas’ui Tau’lor shouted to his fire warriors. The Tau Empire was using the time bought by the Air Caste to gain a foot hold on Saar-Diqualm. The thunder of battle cannons being fired from behind the imperial lines could be seen in the form of flashes of smoke. “Tau’lor was freshly promoted, and rather young for a Shas’ui, but fire warrior teams promoted from with in, and Lor was the best of his fellow fire warriors. The battle was just beginning, and was massive in scale as his Cadre lead the spear head in an effort to drive the Imperial forces back from the primary Exodite settlement. It was utter chaos for the Imperiam as the ever composed and disciplined Tau army smashed into their lines that rivaled the speed of the elder. Drops ships flew through the atmosphere unloading teams of Fire warriors onto the field. Devilfish transports glided in along side of them, and landed ahead of the main group with the Tau path finders providing valuable Intel on imperial positions in and around the Exodite settlement.

Shas’Ui Lor’s squad was at the front of the tau formations, with the Kroot in front of them dancing through the trees of the forested Exodite world. Shas Lor could hear the explosions of the imperial cannons, and the brutal thumping of his people’s Rail Gun returning fire. The he heard them. Gue. Humans. Cursing, screaming. The Kroot Shaper in charge of his troops was launching a direct charge on the entrenched Imperial guard with confidence. “Shas’Ui!” one of Lor’s men called out. “The Kroot have engaged the Gue!” He said in a harsh voice as they ran as fast as they could behind the physically impressive Kroot, their gnarlocs, and hounds, along side the Krootox they were a formidable force to be had. But with the Imperial guard laying down a barrage of las rifles, hell guns, basilisk rounds, and streams of bolters into their own besieged lines to kill the Kroot they were being cut to pieces. “Hold your positions Fire Warriors!” Shas’Lor shouted. “Wait for the order…” he said glaring at the immense amount of humans that lay before them. Then the Shas’O gave the order. “FIRE WARRIORS OPEN FIRE!”

Lor did not even flinch. “FIRE! FIRE! KILL THEM ALL!” He yelled as he raised his pulse rifle and pulled the trigger, releasing streams of molten plasma into the imperial forces directly in front of his squad.

The entire Cadre that had advanced opened fire having positioned themselves on top of a low hill that elevated them just above the imperials. The Rail rounds bombarded the rear, but when the fire warriors on foot were given the order to fire, their Kroot allies began falling back to the tree line at the base of the hill.

“The Kroot Shas’ui, they are falling back. “KEEP FIRING SHAS’LA, PROTECT OUR ALLIES!” Shas’lor howled with a battle fervor that would have made any Space Marine smile.

(We talked; I am going to paint the wider picture of what is going on. You spelled Phoenix wrong but its kewl...)

“DAMN THEM DAMN THIS ALIEN FILTH!” General David Conner howled as he watched the pulse blasts exit. He was sitting on top of a Baneblade when the Tau went planet side. “General our forward lines are falling apart, the Kroot are falling back into the lower tree line. “The Tau are engaging our forward lines with their and heavy armor pounding our armor my lord!”

David growled “KEEP FIRING, Bring me to the front of the lines, I will not be defeated by the likes of the xenos!” He snarled at his assistant who dutifully relayed the general’s orders. The Imperial army being engaged here began lumbering forward directly into the smaller Tau force. “The Kroot have been driven back, but are being covered by infantry fire from that large hill!’ he said pointing as the Baneblade charged forward taking them down. “By the Emperor get some tell our Basilisks to reign the Emperor’s fire down on them!” He yelled. “If the guard’s men in the front attempt to retreat fire on them!” he shouted having his orders relayed to all of his officers in the field.

The Army was arranged n typical imperial fashion, Thousands of infantry, Leman Russ tanks, Basilisks, demolishers Sentinels. “Storm troopers are guarding our flank’s sir, the officers are asking if they can press forward and charge the hill.”

“All Forward lines charge into that forest, keep the barrage deeper into the forest to cut of their retreat!” he snarled as the Bane Blade fired a round at the hill. Basilisk cannons through out the formation of his army began raising their cannons into the sky and loading up their earth shaker rounds. Leman Russ Tanks and Sentinels followed the infantry charge as the unfortunate men at the front of the 1183rd 4567th and 812th Cadian regiments left their entrenchment and charged directly into the combined Tau and Kroot barrage. General David looked over head as the Tau Air Caste and the Imperial Navy Battled for the sky above the fallen Exodite settlement. David Conner looked back down and watched as The Tau slaughtered his men, and his tanks sent to die. “In the Name of the Emperor.” He said in a calm voice as the Baneblade continued to move forward.






Meanwhile at the edge of the star system…

A battle barge carrying a full detachment of one hundred space marines to aid the Imperial Guard in battling the Eldar. “Brother Captain…the Imperial navy is having complications in holding control in orbit of Planet I11348768.”

Captain Mathiew moved over to the computer terminal and looked at the data being streamed into the lumbering battle barge from the Imperial Navy. “Tau Empire.” The Ultramarine said with out showing emotion. Matthiew had heard stories of the Tau during the Damocles Gulf Crusade. They did not impress him. The Space Marines spoke of the Tau with often great respect. “Yes Brother Captain…The Tau Fleet has flanked the Imperial Navy, and is conducting an Invasion with the time is has succeeded in buying. “Hmmm avoid the battle with the Tau Fleet…they can take care of them selves…I want to get on the ground and face these…Tau as soon as Possible.”

“Sir? The younger Space Marine said not in disrespect, but wondering why his Captain was so eager to meet the aliens in combat. “I have heard tails of this Xenos brother. Tails of their courage, and their skill in war. I want to see first hand if the stories of their skill at war are true.”

When the Imperial charge came no order to fall back was given, this meant to Lor, and the Fire Warrior Squads near his position to stay put and keep laying down fire on the wave of Gue flooding across the brush and towards the tree line. The entire force held it’s position and the Kroot regrouped at the edge of the trees creating a buffer zone between the Imperial’s and the Tau Fire warriors. Hammer head tanks hovered over the tree tops exchanging fire with the comparatively lumbering Leman Russ tanks. It was growing more intense as the Kroot and fire warriors continued slaughtering the charging Guards men. Shas’ui Lor wondered what kind of commander would send his men charging forward into enemy fire like that.

It was a waste of lives, and good troops. But Lor had his orders and his Fire Warriors continued firing into the Imperial lines along side hundreds of other such squads. Missiles flew deep into the enemy lines striking as basilisk, but that was not the Killing blow for this imperial army. Path finders had taken positions on the flanks of the imperial army and were smashing into the Storm Troopers with their rail rifles. Drone snipers were knocking off the Imperial Commissar’s at an alarming rate. But for the Imperial Guard the worst was yet to come as the Tau’s large battle suits were jumping all over the Imperial lines, firing missiles into the basilisks and the Skyray’s were bombarding the rear lines with barrages of directed missiles thanks to the stealth teams who had just lit them up with their marker lights. But the incoming fire was now intense on the infantry squads at the center of the Tau’s formation. Las rounds bounced off of Lor’s armor and members of his teams as well. One of his twelve warriors fell down dead from a stray bolter round to the chest. An explosion erupted at his flank killing a majority of another fire warrior squad. A Bane Blade. “All Fire Warrior teams draw back.” Lor head over his head set. “Draw back!” he howled “By the Etherial’s pull back but keep firing!” He yelled. His warriors did as he commanded with out even flinching or panicking. The began stepping backwards and firing.

The Kroot were doing better as they danced about in the trees waiting for the imperial Guard to reach the tree line to be slaughtered by the talented jungle fighters. Lor saw the massive tank take a Rail Round to it’s flank but it was not even slowed down, it kept charging forward through the on rushing Imperial line. Gue bodies were littering the battle field now, piles of screaming half dead could be heard as they begged for their emperor’s forgiveness. “EMP Grenades ready!” He yelled waiting for a response from his team. “For the greater good!” they all yelled in unison. That bane blade was coming, and Lor would be ready for it.

Soon Massive earth shaking explosions began erupting amidst the thick Imperial lines. Mantas had entered the atmosphere. Lor did not see an Imperial Titan on this battle field for they certainly would have used it, this battle would soon be another victory for the Tau Empire

It was getting bloody for the Imperial Guard who was inflicting casualties, but were receiving them ten fold. They had been caught by surprise, and always had trouble when battling the Tau Empire. The forward assault was being whittled down as the Tau and Kroot fired into the Guards men with. The Basilisks were being destroyed as the Tau launched their “Killing Blow” On the armored vehicles of the guard.

“General! Mantas are bombarding all of our armored positions; Tau battle suits are hitting us on all side!” His assistant shouted from inside of the Bane Blade. “What about the Storm Troopers?!” General David screamed as he watched more of his men get cut down. “The Aliens have ambushed them my lord!” his assistant screamed back. David saw a flash of light as a Rail Gun round glanced his vehicle. The monstrous tank shuddered from the hit, but surged forward with Leman Russ tanks and hellhounds on its flanks, along with squads of men trailing in behind it. “Crash into that forest, if we die here we are going to take as many of those aliens with us!” He screamed with a renewed fervor as the rage of being defeated by aliens began taking over his mind.

The Bane blade rolled into the forest disregarding any of the kroot, and its bolter guns blazing onto any unfortunate enough to get into its bath. It would topple trees over as it climbed uphill with a column of Leman Russ tanks on its rear firing cannon rounds blindly into the forest. A squad of Tau Fire warriors came into view and they were not backing up….



“All tactical squads and heavy weapons teams are ready for a drop down into the main Battle Brother Captain.”

“No, bring us to the Imperial Landing Zone.” Captain Matthiew said calmly as he stood next to his Drop Pod. “That battle is lost; inform the surviving Officers we will be joining them as advisors in this conflict. You saw the reports?” Matthiew said looking his fellow brothers as the stood in disciplined lines. “The Tau have not even used their Vespid allies…it is as if they are expecting Space Marine help…we shall handle them with intelligence and care…These Xenos are not to be trifled with.”

“In coming!” BOOM! More fire warriors fell to the blast of an Imperial battle cannon. Trees cracked and wood splinter into the air as the Imperial guard charged head long into the forest. The Infantry were immediately cut off by the forest dwelling Kroot who ignore rushed the Imperial vehicles and soldiers who had survived the charge. Their shrill squeals and chirps as they battle the Gue were louder to Lor then the monstrous Bane Blade baring down on to his fire warriors.

“E.M.P grenades!” He yelled as he grabbed his and hurled it along with his surviving fire warriors (two more had been shot) hurled their EMP grenades at the massive Bane blade. Electricity cut through the air and would shut the vehicle down indefinitely. His men had resisted the intimidation of the tank closing in, immediately fell back. “Good work Shas’la, now lets get to cover he howled as he lifted his Pulse rifle and aimed it at General David’s chest. Squeezed the Trigger, then turned and followed his men who were once more scattered apart hiding behind trees and giving their Kroot allies supporting fire.

The Imperial Army at this point was in utter disarray. Moral and organization had collapsed to the point of no return for the unfortunate Imperial guard as they were being slaughtered in uncounted numbers. Imperial Commissars frantically attempted to get their squads under control, but were being singled out and gunned down. The fame armored vehicles of the Imperiam were falling prey to the fast battle suits, and the ambushes set up by pathfinders and now stealth teams were cutting this particular army to pieces.

The bombard by the Mantas had completely neutralized supporting fire offered by the now destroyed basilisks. The end came for David when the army halted their suicidal charge, and began suddenly falling back.

“We have been ordered to fall back general!” David roared in rage. “WHAT?! WHO GAVE THAT ORDER?!”

His assistant shouted back “The Space Marines, they claim to have been granted authority by the-“The assistant was cut off as EMP Grenades went off all around the lumbering Bane blade. The vehicle squealed and went dead. A rail round then smashed into the roof of the tank. Pulse Rounds from Lor’s rifle hit the General’s armor three times in the chest. Twice deflected, the second striking the General in his lung. The impact from the Rail round sent David flying out of the Tank and into Lor’s squad.

General David landed flat on his chest, and blood began pooling below him. The dying man would look up at Shas’Ui Lor and with his dying breath. “D…damn you…filthy…:” then he would go limp.

The Imperial Army began falling back, abandoning this battle Field and heading back to their Fire base fifty miles away from the small space port the navy was using to supply the Imperial Guard. The retreat would be clumsy and chaotic as the panicked survivors fled from the Tau onslaught. When the Tau secured the area they would find they had whipped out half of this particular army some 20,000 men in fewer than thirty minuets. (This was a very large battle, they were caught completely off guard, worst has happened in the 40k universe.)

“Brother Captain…do you think it was necessary to order a retreat like that?” A librarian asked. Matthiew walked about the Imperial compound thinking of his next move. “Yes, We will need those men…I think it is foolish that they should die for their emperor for their emperor…the Imperial General should have ordered a fall back the second the Tau made planet fall. He did exactly what those aliens expected…we shall not make the same mistake.”

Lor looked down upon the fallen human and said nothing. He Just another Gue that had been on the wrong end of his rifle, and gotten what he deserved. Lor look at his surviving men and then the order to stand down was given.

Lor and his squad held their positions along with the rest of the army that was allowing the human forces to retreat. When the Imperial guard had effectively fled the battle field, the Tau army would advance and take the ground they had earned.

Sweat beaded down the man's forehead as he slammed another clip into his bolter and risked a peak over the slab of marble he now used as cover from in coming enemy fire. Dirt and dust covered the battle field and the screaming of dead filled his helmet with a dull sound, his systems filters keeping the level of noise to a low hum, allowing him to almost tune it out. He selected a target and fired a round from his weapon before the enemy redirected their fire and forced him to duck once more.

+Alright, I'm getting sick of this shit. Adonis, Dymas, press their flank, and more importantly draw their fire. Eneas and Icarus, on me-the rest of you take up support positions and lay down covering fire.+

His team acknowledged his orders and the two men of his Deathwatch team ran a quick zig-zag pattern across the open area, using the smoke and chaos on the field before them to cover their advance. They reached the slab of marble and ducked behind, their bolt pistols held in one hand while a power sword wreathed in great bolts of energy was held in the other.

Aulus Metellus, brother captain of Deathwatch kill team Romeo activated the rune switch on his blade and as one, the three deadly warriors scaled the slab of marble and rushed the enemy positions. Controlled brusts of the two heavy bolters his team members had employed cut down foolish troops too slow to get to the cover of the ruins of the now dead city.

Kyros's assult cannon ripped through the building just ahead of Aulus and he reminded himself to thank the man after the battle. He reached the gun nest first and scaled the shab sand bags, his sword flaring before him as the energy of the blade met flesh, the smell of charred skin hit his nose and he screamed in joy as he danced from one enemy to the next, his blade wrecking havoc on the troops within the gun nest.

A field knive stabbed into his thigh and he turned his blade in a low arch, taking off his attackers head, before turning to find that they had finished off the rest of the men holding the gun placement. He echoed his mens screams of triumph and walked out onto the now deathly quiet street of the ghost city, the men of Romeo marching over to meet him.

'Exercise complete Captain, your team has improved by 2.3 seconds. Do you wish to run the course again?'

'No, that will be it for now thank you.' He turned to regard his troops, honour filled his hearts each time he took in their demeanor, even in the face of exhaustion they had shown improvement where he thought there could be none. 'Get cleaned up and something to eat, I'll see each of you at temple in thirty. Good work today, but I think we can do better, we'll run it a few more times after prayers. Anything any of you have to share? Speak freely.'

Eneas spoke up first, 'I slipped on a piece of rubble when we made our assult, and it almost caused me to slip which would have gotten me killed and caused the death of both you and Icarus. I don't know how to combat that.'

Aulus grinned as he thought the confession through. 'Don't worry about it, there is nothing you can do save watch your step next time. Alright anyone else?' When no one spoke up he dismissed them and made his way for the armory.

'Captain Metellus, just the man I was looking for. How are you Captain?'

Aulus turned to find who had called him and went to attention as soon as he saw the man's face. 'Admiral, I didn't see you come in sir, excuse me.'

'At ease son. I watched your team, they are very well trained, you've done an outstanding job bringing them along.'

'They are space marines, and the best their chapters could send to join our ranks, I simply keep them fit, the skill they have is of their own doing.'

'I see yes well, that very well may be the case, but I think the skill of any warrior has a reflection on the man who leads them, but that is not why I am here. We have been ordered to set a course for planet I11348768. The Tau empire and Eldar forces there seem to be working together to destroy an Imperial army charged with the invasion of the Eldar craft world, and it has been requested that Deathwatch specialists are dispatched to combat the Xenos scum. We are the closest ship to that sector, so we are being sent to aid our brethren.'

'Our brethren? There are Space Marines there?'

'Yes, an entire company of the Ultramarines have taken command of the forces still fighting on the surface of the craft world.'

'Very well, I'll assemble my men after prayer and we can brief them at that time. Thank you Admiral, may the Emperor shine on you this day.'

'And you Captain.' He returned the soldiers salute and turned on his heel making his way back to the command deck of his light cruiser. They had already altared course for the Eldar held planet, it would be one day before they were within range of the Imperial Navy there, or whatever was left of it. If a Tau fleet had indeed come to the aide of the Eldar fleet, the Admiral was unsure how well the Imperial Naval forces would be able to combat the combined power of the two Xenos fleets. He reached the command deck and took up his command chair, looking over the endless data pouring in from the battle taking place light-years away.

Soon his ship would engage the enemy and he'd once again be given the chance to kill enemies of the Emperor. 'Rig ship for warp jump...'

The imperial guard who had survived the Tau’s swift offensive against them, were caught by surprise by the Tau allowing them and easy retreat. The Guardsmen and their remaining vehicles followed the orders issued by Brother Captain Mathiew to the letter, evacuating the battle field and marching right back to the prefabricated Star port on that lay on the southern tip of an arid peninsula roughly one hundred Kilometers south of the primary Eldar settlement.

Two days passed and the battered survivors of the Cadian army entered the massive Star Port that had been constructed during their initial invasion of the Planet. Imperial Officers had stale taste in their mouths after having had victory in their grasp, only to be shut out completely by the Tau.

Brother Captain Mathiew and his company had landed on the planet, and set about Re organizing the Imperial Forces to better combat this Tau enemy, and a possible alliance from the Eldar inhabiting this world. Silas James, a The Resident Liberian, and Chaplin Erwin Marcos were at Mathiew's Side as they awaited the arrival of Space Marines from another chapter. Deathwatch Marines. Mathiew was grateful for his superiors requesting more Space Marine help, even if they were from another Chapter.

“I have been analyzing the battle Brother.” Silas said calmly in his smooth and relaxed voice. “The Tau forces executed appear to have timed their attacks on the Imperial Guard perfectly, almost how we would do it…just different.” The Chaplin chuckled “Is that admiration I hear in your voice Brother Liberian?” The Liberian was cool and calm to his Chaplin’s little joke. “Yes.” Mathiew had to agree with Silas. “There is no heresy in respecting your enemy. To respect your enemy is to know your enemy. When you know your enemy, you can better destroy your enemy.”

Erwin looked at the landing craft coming in to drop off more supplies. The Imperial Navy was playing cat and mouse with the Tau fleet. The Eldar fleet was still in hiding. Supply craft landing meant the Imperial Navy was the cat on this day. Mathiew smiled slightly at their silence. “Please continue old friend, these Tau interest me more then anything, they are not cowards like the Eldar, or animals like the orks…no these Xenos Different.” Silas gripped his staff tightly and looked to Erwin. “Well what intrigued me the most was what they did when you ordered the Imperial army to retreat.” Silas turned back to the landing craft. “They held their fire, and allowed the Imperial Guard their retreat.”

Erwin snorted and crossed his armored arms across his chest. “An insult to the emperor’s holy name!” Mathiew shook his head. “No no…respect…mercy.” Mathiew said bringing his hand to his chin. ‘Weakness” Erwin followed up in disgust almost spitting the word on the ground. “I think not…mercy is often a sign of strength, I think we shall be taking our new enemy very seriously with that little tidbit of information.”

Silas nodded in agreement, along side his beloved Chaplin brother. “All this waiting, you think the Deathwatch marines would be here sooner!’

“They should be arriving any moment now….” Silas said obviously using his psychic powers.

Zac, your Marines may have gotten delayed by the Tau Empire’s fleet, they are battling back and fourth for control of the planet, me and Sol just agreed to say it trade’s off regularly allowing both armies to get supplies and reinforcements.

In the two days after the battle the Tau Fleet indeed battle the Imperial Navy for the space above Saar-Diqualm. The Ethereal and water Caste were going out of their way to get contact with the Eldar but were finding tracking down the elusive older race to be a difficult challenge. On the plus side the Fire Caste Veterans who had encountered the Eldar before agreed that the older race would have certainly attacked them by now if they truly had a quarrel with the Tau.

In effect the Tau leaders believed the Eldar were merely being cautious. “Shas’ui Tau Lor, I am ordering your and your Fire Warriors to trek through the jungle behind our path finders, and to set up picket line in the event the new Space Marine Gue attempt to try and rout us from the remains of the Eldar settlement. We are preparing for our next offensive, but this requires careful preparation. Reinforcements will be available, and your friend Silithian and his Kroot will be accompanying you along with our Vespid allies. Consider this a recon mission.” The Shas’El said calmly on the speaker from his battle suit.

“Yes Shas’El” Lor said bowing. Lor turned and barked the orders to his males and females of his squad. They gathered their supplies, when a Pathfinder handed one of Lor’s men a Rail Rifle. “Just in case” Lor heard him say. It was not regulation…but not uncommon. The news of Space Marines had changed things for the Fire Cast, and heavier weapons were being implemented to a lot of teams. The Rail Rifle was not uniform for Fire warriors, but Lor would rather have the weapon and not need it, then need it and not have it. (A rail rifle would make a space marine think twice)

The Tau encampment and landing area was set up, but the ever mobile Tau were on the move, and were advancing into the Imperial territory they had recently taken. The Tau army was wasting no time in positioning them selves better in the event of an early Imperial counter attack.

Lor and his men, along with his Kroot friend Silithian boldly marched off into the thick forests surrounding Saar. Lor and his men walked in single file into the forest with the Kroot charging a head into the trees, protecting their Tau Friends. This Particular group had become particularly close with Lor’s Fire Warriors, particularly the Shaper in charge of them.

“Space Marines..” Lor said more to himself. “Shas’ui, do not tell me you are afraid?” A raspy mottled voice said from behind him. Lor turned and smiled under his helmet. “No, just curious, I have never faced them, I have only heard stories of these warriors from the Gue’Vesa, and historical documents of the Damocles Gulf Crusade. “Ah” Slithian responded as he walked along side Lor. “Do not worry my friend, we will protect you, so long as you keep protecting us.” The shaper said with a laugh. “They have thick armor, but I have fought them before, it takes a bit more then killing a Gue, but they bleed, and scream in pain.”

Lor yanked out his positioning beacon as they continued through the forest. He looked at Silithian, and heard Space Marines were as tall as two Tau, and could show insane amounts of endurance and strength. Silithian was tall and slender, deceptively so. But he had heard during Damocles of Kroot matching space marines in terms of strength. The Marines were just tougher, where as the Kroot were as durable as a Tau. He knew he could trust Silithian though. That Shaper was a very skilled fighter, and would give any warrior a battle.

Lor looked at Silithian, and grabbed his pulse rifle, and its battery pack. “Silithian, It would honor me and my squad if you carried this into battle. Lor offered the rifle to Silithian who humbly took the weapon. “My my Lor, I am at a loss for words…I am honored…and will carry this weapon into the fight.” He said doing what could be called a smile. The shaper tossed his old kroot rifle to one of his warriors wielding a pistol. Silithian gripped the pulse rifle, and stuffed the battery pack into his sash. “We shall talk later Shas’Ui…..I am going to run a head and have a look around…consider me your eyes…”

Lor bowed, and ran up behind the warrior holding the Rail rifle and its ammunition. He took the weapon and carried it in his arms.

The battle been hard on her people, but a strange twist of irony came when the Tau arrived…and defeated the Imperial Army. She had to admit that the younger race’s swift and harsh victory over the imperial made her smile. But then reality set in and a question came to the Young Farseer’s mind. Are the Tau here to take the world for them selves too?

Limited contact had been made, and the Tau did not shoot her scouts on sight as she had predicted. Iyana decided that in light of her new promotion it was time to make contact with the Tau.

A delicate foot stepped into plain view of Shas’ui Lor and his troops. The Kroot would find a line of guardians, and striking scorpions farther into the forest. They would not attack.

Iyana stood in sight of Lor but said nothing. She merely held up a slender hand, and her robe fell off of it revealing her beautiful and intricately carved wraith bone armor that covered her slender and tall body like a second skin that revealed her delicate curves. Her head was covered in a similar helmet, and in her left hand was a beautiful force spear that glowed in a faint light.

“Do not be alarmed.’ She said speaking the Tau language perfectly. “We have not come to fight you young one.” He voice smooth, and feminine, yet commanding. “I have come to ask you to bring me to your leaders…we come in peace.”

She recognized Lor. His faint mind barely a flicker in the warp. But she felt it. He was the one who had killed the Imperial General David. The man who slew the Exarch of this world…and her former lover. She would not say it just yet, but she owed Lor a debt that she would eventually repay, most likely on the battle field.

Red lights flared throughout the ship as the cruiser sliced through space. Several small attack aircrafts shot after it, firing small but deadly missiles that, even the light cruiser could not match for speed. The chamber shook as the missiles detonated on the ships hull. Causing the red warning lights to flash desperately. fir control techs raced to get the damage controlled. And at all major intersections within the crusier Imperial Guardsmen stood las rifles held thightly, constantly expecting to see Eldar or Tau or worse, both pour onto the ship attempting to destroy it from the inside out.

The members of Deathwatch kill team Romeo sat in the armoured hull of the Thunderhawk gunship. Ready to get the show on the road. Imperial forces had been employing hit and run tactics and the ability to land crafts on the planet was still sketchy, and they had already been delayed two extra days. Many remained deep in prayers while the other simply rested their eyes, knowing there was nothing more they could do in a battle between naval ships than wait and hope your side won. All their training would be for nothing if they lost their lives above the planet before they had ever had a chance to bring swift death to the enemies of the Emperor of mankind. Still, they knew their lives rested in the hands of the Immortal leader of mankind, and if he deemed it a worthy death, who were they to question it?

Captain Metellus checked the strap on his seat and closed his eyes as he felt the vibration of the Gunship's engines come to life. A voice came over the ships internal comm's system and he grinned with the news.


+The Emperor smiles on us this day, a fighter wing of Fury Interceptors have chased the Tau bandits off, and are offering to escort us as far as the Space port recently constructed on the surface. Hold on ladies we're about to lift off.+

The small transport ship lurched forward as the small dock doors slid open and allowed the Thunderhawk to leave the crusier. Six rather large ships flanked it and flew a close escort as they made their way to the surface of the planet. The beauty of the world caught in Captain Metellus's lungs and he offered a quick thank you to the Emperor for allowing him the chance to see such beauty, if he were to die on this mission, he could think of nowhere he would rather have it happen. Sad scars could be seen along the surface where reports had said Tau forces had made contact with the Imperial Guard units stationed on the world after the defeat of the Eldar, but the scars only added to her beauty, and regret suddenly clouded Aulus's heart at knowing he would soon add to the scars that smeared the image of wonder far below him.

Why such a world was important to the Imperium Aulus could not see, it was not a forge world, like Mars, or a hive world like Holy Terra. Beautiful as it was that was not a trait the Imperium counted among them as reason to invade a planet held by the forces of the Eldar. Something important must have caused the Imperial leaders to decide to invade this place, but their reasons were lost on him and he pushed the thought from his mind, it was not his place to question those giving the orders, he was a soldier.

+What do we know of this Captain of the Ultramarines?+ He asked over his comm-link.

Adonis turned his head slightly to reply, his black helmet expressionless. +Not much, his file has recently been closed from public viewing. I can't say much for sure other than he is a Captain of the Ultrmarines and that means he goes by the book. Will you take command of the ground forces when we arrive?+

Aulus hadn't thought of that, true he had the right to take command, Deathwatch held seniority over other chapters because they were specialists, but the thought had not accured to him that he might be charged with leading Imperial forces still alive. +No, he seems to know what he is doing. He saw that the Imperial forces were fighting a battle they could not hope to win, and he made sure the retreat went as well as it possibly could. He has also been here longer than I, the troops down there trust him, and that counts for a lot here. I think we'll follow on this one Adonis.+

+Copy.+

The Thunderhawk reached the starport without being engaged by Tau forces, and it seemed the planet had seen a few days of peace while the armies of either side licked their wounds and regrouped. No doubt that would soon change.

The steel door slid open and the boarding ramp lowered smoothly, allowing the Deathwatch members to exit with their gear. A blue armoured warrior stood proudly beyond the landing pad, flanked by two other warriors of his Chapter. Aulus moved to where they were, his team following closely as he reached the three men and saluted briefly.

'I am Captain Aulus Metellus of the Deathwatch marines and these are my men, Adonis, Dymas, Eneas, Icarus, Kyros, and Landis.' Each man saluted as his name was spoken, and once again honour filled Aulus at his right to lead such an elite group of men. 'You must be Captain Mathiew, it is my honour to meet you brother...'

(Zac gave me an idea to enrich this RP a little bit further, involving such heavy Space Marine presence.)


"And I am honored to be standing here before you Brother." Mathiew responded with a slight smile. "We received word of your arrival and were honored to have such a decorated Team sent to us. I know the Deathwatch has a kind of authority in matters of Covert operations." Mathiew said getting directly to the point. "Your men are your men Brother Captain...I would not dare to consider my brothers in another chapter to be anything less." he said as his cohorts stood silently by and let the two Captains speak. Mathiew held his armored handout to his advisors. “This is Liberian Silas, and our company Chaplin, they will be at your kill team’s disposal, as will I.” Mathiew said as his two brothers returned the salute. All were wearing ultramarine power armor; Erwin’s face was hidden behind the skull helmet gifted to him by Culgar himself. “If you wish we shall consult on all stragities, and your orders will be considered my orders to the Imperial guard.” He said as an order to his allies. “If the emperor sees fit, and I fall in battle, you are in command.”

“So says the emperor.” Erwin finished. Chaplains were fiery individuals and had a bit more freedom in such discussions. “We should walk.” Mathiew said calmly as he turned from the thunder hawk’s ramp.

The space port was bustling with activity and wounded Imperial Guards men. “The Imperial General has been killed in the battle against the Tau, and I have ordered a regrouping and fall back so that we may attempt to re-educate the Imperial Guard in how to effectively combat enemies like the Tau and Eldar.”

“But we are preparing a new offensive as are the two Xenos...” he said as he continued to walk, with his brothers in arms following, and hopefully Aulus would be at his side. “A renewed operation will begin in another days time…we are also having a Titan brought in to deal with the Tau Empire’s Manta strike craft.


Indeed Mathiew spoke true, as the Imperial Guard forces were being re-educated, and re-organized. The Ultramarines were fully mobilized and had predators as well as number of other vehicles on the planet. “But I would prefer insight…how do you propose we effectively combat these Tau?”

Lor stopped dead in his tracks. Standing on his cloven feet he turned to see the tall slender Iyana standing in open view. “Hold your fire.” Lor called through his head set as Iyana began to speak. He was silent and remained rather tense as his men had their rifles leveled at the Eldar around them, and the Kroot were hiding behind trees and the like ready incase the Eldar indeed proved to be hostile.

Lor really had not authority to be speaking with aliens not allied to the Tau Empire, but this was a situation where he had to grant her request. The commanders of this army would love to get a chance to speak to the leader of the Eldar on this planet so that they could better coordinate their forces on the field of combat. Lor lowered his rail rifle and touched his head set communicating with his superiors. He relayed his find back to them and almost immediately he was instructed to escort the Eldar force back to the Tau primary base to meet with the Shas’O and the Ethereal in command of this force.

Lor barked the orders for his men to turn around and begin heading back. “My leaders have ordered me to escort you to them, and are happy to meet the leader of the Eldar on this world.” He said giving Iyana a respectful bow. He did not say much more. What could he say to an Eldar farseer?

Farseer Iyana Nodded cautiously as Shas’ui Lor explained to her that he had contacted his leaders. She smiled when the alien warrior requested that she and her protectors follow him back to their main encampment. She almost spoke up about using the web way to get their, but decided it would be better to get a first hand glimpse at these “Tau”

She could see the scars on the armor of all the Tau warriors. Little burns from deflected las blasts, larger dents from heavy bolter rounds, scrapes from shrapnel. These Tau had clearly just come from a battle, and she could sense what weight on the young Shas’ui’s mind. His dead comrades. Iyana thought though, that maybe those already dead were the lucky ones.

As they walked, Iyana halted suddenly in her tracks. “More Space Marines…”

“But I would prefer insight…how do you propose we effectively combat these Tau?”

'Forgive me Captain, but my team and I are here merely as military advisors. We were held up briefly outside the sector due to the battle in space, it would seem the Imperial Navy is having trouble containing the Tau ships, and there is a very real threat of Eldar suprise attacks. I was able to review the recent data and I must say that the retreat was carried out extremely well, my regards to your marines. They are lucky to have such a commander, the Imperial General's death was a great loss, and I will pray that he finds his way to the Emperors side.'

He walked on at the side of the Ultramarine Captain, his eyes wondering over the vast number of Imperial Guard moving around the star port. His kill team followed closely, their guns held ready as they scanned the crowds for signs of the enemy. Even with so many allied soldiers around them they were ready, decades as a space marine had bred them for combat, and the Deathwatch Captain expected no less from his men.

'As to your question, I was shocked to hear that Tau had come to the aide of the Eldar. Tau believe strongly in doing things for the "greater good." I checked Imperial records and there is no indication of Tau ever coming to the aide of Eldar forces before now. I think we can be sure the two races have a very limited understanding of each other.'

He turned and motioned for Landis to come forward. 'This is brother Landis, he is my long rifleman. He is highly trained in Guerrilla warfare.'

Landis jogged to catch up to them, taking up position on the opposite side of the Ultramarine. 'It is my honour to meet you sir, my name is Landis, Previously of the Raven Guard. After the battle were your troops able to recover the bodies of the fallen Tau warriors?'

Lord Malfigous Kain-master of the 3rd company of the world bearers, had been monitoring the regions activity as the warring factions attempted to obliterate each other-elder,tau,and imperials..and his most hated-and potent-foe's, the space marines-while he could'nt tell exactly what chapter was involved,he suspected it was the group known as "deathwatch"..alien hunters.
He'd decided to let them chew each other to pieces for his entertainment-a whole fleet he might've had, but he was well versed in many things-he'd been around since the hersey, and had litterally thousands of years of experince.
But now-now he had to move before any of the current factions gained a permanent advatage.
Leaning to the ships Vox-caster system, he gave the command to leave warp space at the very edge of the system..
War was immenent, and in it, he would gain his daemonhood-or die.

(Quick post forgive my spelling errors)

"Indeed." was mathiews response to to Aulus as he stated his position in this conflict. Advisor was not in the sense that these men would be sitting back and observing. Mathiew knew this space marine and his team were here to draw blood. Deathwatch was geared to kill aliens, in particular they were known to combat the Eldar. "In either event your advice and ideas are most welcome, and feel free to voice them." He said calmly as he turned and looked over the remobalizing imperial forces. As the group walked past they would see Ultramarines prepairing their equipment, praying or standing watch. They all saluted as their brothers walked past.

Mathiew looked at Landis, and got silent as he looked to his the resident psyker. Silas was calm and always researved. "No Tau were captured, their defeat of the imperial guard was rather...one sided." he said as if unsuprised. "The imperial general ordered a no mercy policy on the Tau, so this has something to do with our lack POW." He said looking to Erwin and shaking his head. "How ever...I managed to "save" one of the few eldar prisinors." He said growing silent.

A look of suprise came over Matthiew's face. He held his composure, but Silas was a very seceretive individule, and expected no less from his Libirian.

*Gming some stuff to keep it active...Don't mind me*

"Hold your positions." came a mottled call over the headsets. Lor looked at Iyana, and though he had his face covered with his battle helmet she would be able to at least sense his anger. The second Imperial guard army on this world was moving into the neighboring vally. The landing army of the Tau was a good fifty miles away from this vally, but the expeditionary force from Sa'cea had moved into that vally hours earlier. "Whats going on Shas'ui?" one od his fire warriors said in a calm voice as the troop halted.

"The fifth expeditionary force from Sa'cea." He responded as his warriors looked at the Eldar then moved in closer to Lor. "They are holding the vally...bearly, they are running circles around the imperial lines..but are taking heavy losses.."

"How do you know?" said a female fire warrior. Silithian piped up over his own head set. "We can hear their death crys over the comm channel's." he said in an emotionless voice. "Why aren't they falling back?"

Lor turned to Iyana. "They have apprantly encountered some of her people...and paying for their escape.." He said in a shallow and annoyed voice.

Lor looked at Iyana, and had to admit he was growing wry of the eldar already. His people were spilling their blood for them, and the aliens so far had done everything they could to avoide combat. "Keep moving...we need to get back to the Fire base as soon as possible."

Iyana looker to her own soldier as the Tau halted and began talking among them selves. “Do you think we can trust these aliens?” one of her seers said as he approached her from behind. Speaking in the Eldar language she responded not taking her every watchful eye off of Lor. “They have not proven themselves to us other wise…if we can use them to defeat the imperials, all the better, we just need them to trust us.” she responded. The Seer nodded. “Our forces are in position to aid theirs…they are buying some of our people a little time to escape the avatar’s valley, shall we wait till the Tau force is destroyed and finish off the imperials?”

Iyana thought about it for a moment, her mind processing faster then any human or Tau’s. “Order the attack, strike swiftly from behind, and take some of the pressure off of our new…allies.” She said as Lor looked towards her. The elder were smaller in number then the Tau. But the imperial force in question would be fighting two advanced alien species, along with being surprised again; Iyana intended to have them driven into the Tau’s weapons. “Take no prisoners.”

“Yes my lady.”

With in seconds Lor would be hearing cheers from his comrades in the valley of the avatar. A quarter of her forces had been hiding in the valley. They had encircled the imperium’s forces and were simply waiting for the order. Warp spiders would jump in and begin taking out tanks, and then jump out. Her high amount of rangers would begin picking off Imperial officers, with prism tanks pounding the Imperial guard’s static lines.

She nodded in agreement with Lor on the idea to keep moving, and remained silent waiting to see his reaction to the aid she had decided to give his forces. She suspected this act would get her in good with the Tau leaders, and the help this world needed. She was craft world Eldar, but she and her troops were all that could be spared to defend this Exodite world.