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<Prelude>

Tharnasias System- Meta-897C

Heavy footsteps echoed in the darkness as inquisitor La'shon walked along the ancient hallway, the deathly silence interrupted by the rhythmic -Thump-Thump-Thump of his footsteps upon the rot and dust covered stone floor. Upon closer inspection he would've seen the cursed writing of the warp strewn across the enormous flagstones, yet he already knew they were there and dared not read their cursed words.
He had been tracking a fellow inquisitor for some years now and his plan had finally come to fruition. Gurdanias was a radical inquisitor of the vilest ilk. Since he crossed the line of radicalism and heresy, he had known no boundaries. He had crossed the line that no inquisitor, or any being in the emperors service, could ever cross and sill be redeemed from damnation. He had used Warpcraft in his investigations and had slowly, but surely, been enticed into the folds of chaos.

When cornered by servants of the Ordo Hereticus he had used his psyker abilities to unleash a vortex of the warp, destroying the plaza they were in and over a hundred fellow citizens of the Imperium. He was assumed dead until Hurrendae La'shon had found a pict of him boarding unregistered transport form the city port, the discovery had come 20 days too late and La'shon undertook the task of tracking him down. It had cost the lives of all but 1 on his retinue and by the throne he would have his vengeance upon this man, even if it cost him his own life in the process.
In his hand was the official order of his Ordo that he was to be arrested and tried for crimes against the Imperium, heresy of the darkest kind, the list had grown since the writing of the order, but still La'shon had it with him as he went to this final confrontation as a reminder this was a member of the inquisition. Maybe even now he would see some sense and do the right thing in coming quietly. He doubted it, but would try anyway.

As he walked, he saw the shadowy darkness of a large chamber ahead, his eyes strained, but he could see Gurdanias knelt on the floor from the faint glow emanating from his force sword. He took a deep breath, calming his mind before he stepped onwards into the gloom. His hand reached over the shoulder of his dark tanned leather overcoat, gripping the handle of his enormous power halberd, the blade began to hum into life, a flickering sheen of energy coating the blade. He swung the blade around and held it horizontal to the floor as he walked; the order of arrest gripped tightly in his other hand.
He stopped about 10 foot away from Gurdanias, who had not moved even though he had surely heard Hurrendae's footsteps. Hurrendae stopped and slammed the butt of the halberd into the floor in anger, the flagstone beneath the impact splintering into pieces, the blade humming expectantly, the blade flashing a brilliant blue, illuminating Hurrendae's features, his war torn face showing the signs of his occupation proudly. He spoke with a false clam, his deep voice echoing around the chamber.

"The time has come Gurdanias."
The man kneeling sighed, took up his blade and got to his feet. He turned to face Hurrendae, the faint glint of metal upon his face reflected the flicker of the halberd and glow of the sword but his features were shrouded in darkness still.
"So you have finally caught up with me Inquisitor, well done..." He spoke with a deadened voice that oozed with a mocking undertone.
"I have come with the warrant for your arrest, i am Inquisitor La'shon of the ordo Hereticus, i pronounce you a Heretic and offer you this one chance to lay down you weapons and badge of office." He tossed the order of arrest to Gurdanias' feet and waited for the expected response.
"My badge of office was given up some time ago, unfortunately for you…" He smiled, knowing that this had made him even more elusive to track down since he had never abused his office to command compliance from civilians and military personnel alike. Gurdanias, the turned his head and spat on the order of arrest. "You never expected me to come quietly, surely?"
"I had a suspicion that you wouldn't, but i had hope and faith."
"Hope and faith?" He laughed, a dirty laugh that echoed all around with an unnerving after echo. "I have hope and faith too, inquisitor. I am here to bring hope and faith anew to the imperium. I plan to show them all the real source of power in this universe."
"I had thought as much, but i never thought you had fallen this far Parten. I imagine by the time this is over you will have a least one bit of faith in you, albeit a consecrated bolter round." He flashed his overcoat open, the cold metal of a bolt pistol flashed menacingly from the folds.
"So be it..."

Gurdanias' blade flashed upwards as he lunged forward, Hurrendae was equal to the blow and parried with comparative ease. Gurdanias focussed his will, reaching out with his mind and finding the flammable torches that were dotted around as with the rest of the tomb. The chamber light up suddenly with the orange flicker of a dozen torches as Gurdanias caused them to spontaneously burst into life.
Gurdanias’ face was shown at last and Hurrendae had to fight back the feeling of repulsion. His eyes were now fully augmented, dulled and dirty metal fixed over the sockets of where his eyes had once been. Cables trained from the devices, plugging into hard ports bored into his skull, linking directly to his brain. His eyes were nothing but darkened holes bored into the metallic devices, the depths of the recesses hidden in shadow. It was impossible to know what advantages they would give him in this battle.
The battle suddenly flared in tune with the illumination and a flurry of blows reigned from both combatants. The chamber was further illuminated with the blasts of force sword against power halberd.
But Hurrendae could tell his opponent was slowly tiring, even though the fight was only a few minutes old. His force blade was slowly growing dimmer with ever second the fight continued, whatever he was doing before Hurrendae disturbed him has drained an enormous amount of willpower from him.

Renewed by this show of weakness, Hurrendae decided to play dirty and end this fight with the chance of Gurdanias’ surrender. He swung the enormous halberd with all his might, aiming not for his body, but his weapon instead. The blades crackled together again, but the shear force of hurrendae’s blow knocked the weakened Gurdanias off balance for the half a second it took Hurrendae to draw and fire his bolt pistol.
The pistol barked into life with a starling boom, shaking the room. The round impacted just above the knee, exploded and tore his leg apart. A red mist floated through the air as Gurdanias fell to the floor next to his severed leg, blood pouring out onto the flagstones of the chamber.
Hurrendae walked quickly to his down foe, kicking the sword from his grasp and aiming the bolter directly at his forehead. “Surrender Gurdanias, I do not wish to kill you unless I must.”
Gurdanias only screamed and attempted in his last moment of existence to try and kill Hurrendae with his mind, He was never given the chance.

Yet all through the fight he was totally unaware of the things the recently departed had put into motion. As he turned to survey the chamber he noticed all to late that the doorway he had walked through was not closed off. Two giant doors of stone had noiselessly slid into place and locked both of them inside.
His eyes scanned the door and he read a sentence that made everything alarmingly clear. He read it in every language he knew and more besides, the entire door was covered with the same message engraved in all the known languages: “Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
As he turned an entire wall of the chamber slide away and beyond a dusty sarcophagus lay atop a stone shrine. Upon it lay scriptures of an unintelligible writing Hurrendae had never seen in his lifetime, yet he could tell its nature was foul. A palpable tension filled the air suddenly as a burst of energy struck the sarcophagus from an unseen source above. The writing upon the tomb suddenly began to glow from within, slowly growing into a blinding green light that made the torches seem dull in caparison. The entire chamber was bathed in it’s unholy light as the lids of the sarcophagus slowly began to slide open on their own.

As soon as the seal was broken Hurrendae began to lose his sense. His mind was filled with visions of death and of all conquering powers long forgotten: Armies of metallic fiends marching on heedlessly of resistance, tearing down and burning entire worlds at a time. The shear scale of the power was beyond imagining and the hatred that seethed from the opened stone tomb made Hurrendae simply drop to his knees in terror.
Slowly something began to rise from the sarcophagus. Hurrendae was unsure as to whether he saw this in his mind or on the physical plane but whichever this thing meant harm. A blackened limb grasped the side of the stone lid and slowly a form emerged. But its form was impossible to ascertain, it’s skin morphing and shape shifting even as the eyes focussed onto specific details. It turned, but the only detail Hurrendae noticed from then on was the eyes: the terrible eyes that seemed to burn its hatred clean through him, searing his mind.
The last few things besides all consuming pain that he ever experienced was this being speaking directly into his mind: “Your sacrifice will not be forgotten”. It laughed with a bone-rending chill as it swept upon him; Hurrendae’s power halberd dropped to the floor as he froze. Yet even then as he knew he about to die, he realized that the things he himself had put into motion would soon be put to bear before this creature of almost infinite power.

How many would die because of what Gurdanias and Hurrendae had done no one could ever have foreseen. Not even the noble Eldar could foresee the carnage about to envelope this planet on the outer reaches of the known universe.

2 Days later…


Interrogator Beil La’shon had been in shock since finding the remains of gurdanias and the few things that remained of her father. His power halberd hung upon the wall of her room and his rosette and signet ring rested side by side on the top of her bedside table. She was aboard the imperial destroyer Holy hammer and the ship had just dropped out of warp near the border of the Tharnasias system. They were on course for Tharnasias’ Forth sector and the planet known only as it’s imperial designation: Meta-893C.
They were prepared for resistance from Tau forces in the area and they were well aware any significant reinforcements would take a long while to get here. An Adeptus Atartes ship had accompanied them for protection against any real resistance that the imperial navy ships couldn’t handle. That and because of the report La’shon had given to her superior.

Her description of the tomb had sparked serious concerned from her ordos and she had piloted her father’s ship out to meet up with the destroyer before journeying back towards Meta-897C, this time with serious firepower on her side. How she had made it…she didn’t know. But whatever had tried to cripple her ship, refused to leave the planet as chase after her, either that or it didn’t perceive her as a serious enough threat. As she took off out of the creatures range it simply stopped and turned back towards the tomb it had come from.
It had attempted to attack her psychically but had failed; she only knew it had because the floor around its “feet” had become thick with ice crystals as it stopped and glared up at her with a murderous glance.

She was, however, a blunt: An untouchable: the complete opposite of a psyker. She exuded an aura that nullified any psyker abilities or attacks. It was rare for one such as her to gain anywhere near this rank in the Inquisition: Yet her father had persisted to train her in all the ways he knew regardless of what the Inquisition thought. She had proven everyone wrong and even superseded her father’s expectation in skill and martial prowess and she was destined for a career with the Ordo Malleus. Her untouchable aura made her perfect for dealing with daemons that relied almost exclusively upon psychic abilities and physical combat: both things she was able to combat with an effectiveness few could ever ascertain.

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This is for those waiting for the warhammer 40'000 thread i'd been promising to post up, i hope you enjoy.

Rules:

>Follow all existing forum rules
>I will be acting as a GM for this game and will level the playing field if i feel things are getting out of hand
>All existing armies can be used and your part of the thread should be told from the perspective of a squad or individual
>you will, of course, be allowed to control your factions entire movements and actions elsewhere on the planet/system
>Character bio's are welcome but not necessary, a proper introduction post of your character including a brief outline of their background would be preferred.
>Keep posts to a reasonably lengthy nature. No less than 2 paragraphs at a time and if you can't meet that, then don't post till you can.
>If you go OTT i will pull you back in line, you've been warned.

OOC: ok here goes, wish me luck. Is it ok if I'm on the same planet you are? If not ill edit my post

IC: "What are you starin' at?!" yelled the ork warlord. "Me and some of da boyz are not dery happy with you being da warlord, and we decided that itz time for you to step down. So you know what were gonna do," said Warboss Uglug to his superior as more orks gathered behind him. "We'z gonna kill you, get em' boyz!" yelled the warboss as the orks began to charge. The orks still loyal to the warlord clashed with the rebel ones. The batte erupted with the sounds of gunshots and weapons clashing. The dark blood of the orks was spilling by the gallons on to the grass. With the rebel orks outnumbering the warlord's mob 2-1 the battle was going to be quick. The only problem was taking out the warlord. He was smashing around the soldiers as if they were flies. Even though the numbers were in Uglug's favor, the warlord was turning the tide of battle. His metal claw and auto cannon were causing the losses of many rebels. Uglug needed to act fast or he would lose the battle. The warlord was preoccupied with the rebel orks and couldn't make an attempt at Uglug. Uglug went around the flank of the warlord, pushing aside the others. He reached the warlord and latched on to the warlords face with his metal claw. He clamped down as hard as he could. The warlord cried out in pain as blood began to stream down his face. Then their was a stabbing sound. The metal claw had gone through the warlords head killing him. The battle was won for the rebels. Upon seeing their warlord die the non rebel orks fled. "We did it boyz this camp is ours'. Now that I'm da big boss, we'z gonna pick some betta fights, now who ready for a WAAAGH!" shouted Uglug.

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iz more cunnin' than a Grot an' more killy dan a dread, da boyz dat follow me can't be beat. On pissenah we jumped da marine-boyz an' our bosspoles was covered in da helmets we took from da dead 'uns. We burned dere port an' killed dere bosses an' left nothin' but ruins behind.

2 Weeks Earlier

Such a pathetic world, teeming with pathetic life. Nothing in sight by life, reproduction and then life again. We are the redeemers, sent by the Night Bringer to purge all life, to bring this pointless cycle to an end. We are Necrons...

Hidden in the shadow of night on the far side of the planet, the Necron fleet phased in. Although small number wise, they carried a vast army. The gray ships launched several monoliths onto the planet's surface and phased back out to remain at the farthest possible distance to send reapers through the portals and onto the planet's surface once the monoliths reached the planet surface. Although this world was a Necron Tomb World, the entrance to the catacombs were sealed with the infestations of the planet's ecosystem. And now the stench of the Eldar came close, the Necrons had to secure this world quickly, worse, the Tyranids were beginning to infest this world with their organic filth. The Monoliths descended and landed , and once landed, the first Necron Warrior stepped from the swirling green portal and into a lush forest. Builder Scarabs began to raise ancient Necron defense structures to protect the newly arrived Monoliths. The beastly Tyranids sensed the Necrons landing on their claim, so dozens of the creatures ran out to face the deathless army, through the forests and across meadows, they knew not that they ran toward death, too simple minded to realize that they stood no chance in their weak numbers against even this handful of Necrons.

It was an amazing and terrifying sight as the monsters tried to push the immortal Necrons from their future hive, spines criss-crossed with gauss beams. Particle Whip and Gauss Flayers cut the attack force into shreds of burning, sizzling flesh. The Necron Lord felt the Night Bringer's joy as the Tyranids' souls were destroyed. The young hive queen struggled to get another attack force together while the Necrons were weakened slightly, but the few the Tyranids had disabled got right back up, or pulled themselves back together. The Necron force then marched slowly and silently into the Tyranid hive, sensing the abundance of life all around them, the Necrons attacked furiously to extinguish it. Only when the hive queen, and all her offspring of this world lay dead did the Necrons finally stop blasting. The Necron fleet jumped back in and unloaded more monoliths as well as more builder scarabs, to turn the world into a Tomb World and free their kin in the underground catacombs. So ended the Tyranid raids on the Imperium and the Orks in this system, casing a strange stillness, and the planet once known as Zeta-429C became a Necron Tomb world once more.

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Several weeks earlier

Shas'vre Mont'yr aproached the Ethereals' council chamber barely able to contain his nervousness since the summons. As he enter the room, he felt a great sense of awe wash over him and snapped to a perfect salute in the center of the room. The Ethereals gestured and Mont'yr stood at ease before the judging eyes of the magnificent Ethereals. The 'center' Ethereal stood and spoke in the soft, lyrical words that make up the Tau language, "Shas'vre Mont'yr of the planet Sa'cea, we are impressed by your perfomance in the name of the Greater Good." Mont'yr felt his heart leaped to his throat and his spirit soar to hear such praise from a an Ethereal. "The list is remarkable: serving under O'Shovah against the Orks but refusing to leave the Greater Good with him," Mont'yr felt a brief boil of anger at the mention on the traitor Commander Farsight. " Then serving under O'Shaserra while being observed for any sign of treachery but remained true to the Greater Good at all times." Mont'yr's pride swelled again with the praise and reminder of the time he served under Commander Shadowsun. He learned much while in her service and took the lessons to heart but he regretted also that he still found some merit in Commander Farsight's tactics. " As a result of such actions and the skill that many have noted that you have on the battlefield, we have agreed to add Kais to your name." Mont'yr was about to snap back into salute for such an honor he had recieved in front of the Ethereals but was stopped as the Ethereal continued. "Also do to the fact the O'Shassera's forces are occupied else where, we here by grant you the the rank of Shas'O and given command of the Tharnasias Shan'al (Tharnasias Coalition). You are to investigate the worlds found there, claim and defend them in the name of the Greater Good. Unfortunately at the moment we cannot send an Ethereal with you to maintain complete control of the Shan'al and so control of all factions are under your guidance until one can be dispatched..........You are dismissed." Mont'yr saluted, about faced and walked out of the council chamber, his hoofs making an echoing clicking noise as he left. In went Shas'vre Mont'yr, the man who exited was now Commader Blood of the Tharnasias Coalition in control of a multi-caste army with the resources of an entire system. O'Mont'yr did his best not to collapse to his knees out side as the full understanding of what he had now gained hit him. Fear began to creep up on him but he quickly battered it away with hope, pride and determination. The Ethereals chose him for a reason and he was not going to let them down....To let the Greater Good down. He stepped up to his XV8 Battlesuit and smiled, there was a war they needed to prepare for.........

Present

They sat around the drop ship in silence. Twelve Fire Caste Warriors prepared for battle each one looking exactly alike in their battle armor with their pulse rifles, save for one. This one's helmet was colored white instead of camouflage like the rest, a knife at his waist and had another device attached to the bottom of his rifle. His name: Shas'ui Sa'cea but his men just called him Sa. Sa had serve O'Mont'yr since the beginning and now was no different. He glanced down at his knife, it was not a weapon but rather a symbol and reminder to his team. Each and every member of the team bore an identical scar on their chest where they were cut for the bonding ritual. They were now bonded together, sworn to protect each other and the Greater Good even to death. Sa looked around the silent group, each one looked back and nodded. No words needed to be said they all knew what to do. For weeks, they had trained in simulators against every possible scenario and opposing force. There was nothing they weren't ready for. The ship landed and the troops were out in less than a second after the hatch open, spreading out in a small parameter. The ship took off into the night sky and the team stayed there in silence peering through their blacksun filters for any hostile movement. Finally Sa broke the silence and before the word was even fully out of his mouth the team was disapearing into the wilderness. "Kauyon." They were following the pricinples of the Patient Hunter and all they had to do now was find their prey....

Hunta' raised his axe and swung it into the head of a loyalist Ork as he screamed bloody murder. The battle was going well, except for the fact that the Warlord was tumbling around. He dived forward as he heard and felt the ground shaking where the warlord was coming his way. He rolled onto his back and brought the axe up to deflect another blade coming down on him. He pushed it off and crawled backwards, standing once he was clear. He brought his own blade down forcefully with both hands and broke through the meek defense of the other Ork. He tore through the Ork's shoulder, causing him to scream and his limb to fall clean off. When Uglug killed the warlord he stopped, letting the Orks run away. He turned to listen to the new warlord and scream their triumph with the rest of his allied Ork. "WAAAGH!!!"

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"They say jump, you say 'How high?'"-RATM, Bullet in the Head
"Just weapons, not food, not homes, not shoes, not need, just feed tha war cannibal animal.-RATM, Bulls on Parade

Anger is a gift.

Join us at Genesis. No...Theres no one else.. D:

Tharnasias System- Meta-897C

The restless shadow swept around it's all too familiar surroundings. In anger it struck out at a stone pillar, the thing snapping like a twig under the immense strength of the beast. Slowly it calmed and concentrated its mind before striking out again, this time lifting and throwing the remains of the pillar across the plain in front of it. It wasn't strong enough yet to contact it's Kin or Summon the necrons, resting beneath the surface safely, to active status. It needed more...more souls, lives slaughtered to power it's weak and feeble body. Millennia of rest had stripped it of it's former strength.

But as it calmed again it felt the sudden rush of loathing, a hatred that began to boil in it's mind. Life. Living things coming close to the planet. A sudden hunger overtook the beast and it moved with lightening like speed out across the plains, It's internal loathing guiding it better than any radar could. Soon, it would be stronger, maybe then it could call to it's Brothers.

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Tharnasias system - sector 5.

Beil walked along the wide hallway of Holy hammer, making for the bride. She sighed slightly and she looked out of a bay window to her right, a thousand suns twinkled back: Suns her father would never see again. She only hoped her father was now in a better place, away form the filth, corruption and stagnation of the imperium. She loathed it.

As much as she was a loyal servant of the emperor, she hated the citizens of the imperium. Charged with their protection and guidance, all too often she saw the darker, filthier side of man. Weak, corrupt and ignorant of the emperors true sacrifice. It was why she had so readily taken up the offer of transfer into the ordo malleus, instead of following in her fathers footsteps.

"Excuse me interrogator."
Beil was startled from her reverie and spun around. She looked the soldier up and down. A navy private, slim, well toned, a scar of his cheek, steely look in his eye: A man from a slum world no doubt, a no-hoper before he joined up for the navy. "Yes Private?"
"The captain requires your presence immediately. She she to tell you there's been a significant development." He spoke with a foreign accent to her, she couldn't place his sector.
"I will attend shortly."

Alarm lights flashed all around and suddenly the ship boomed, the floor shaking slightly. Shocked Beil gave the private a startled look. "Why are we opening fire?" Streaks of return sire passed the window as a squadron of imperial fighters flashed past in an attack formation.
"Tau..." was all the private managed to say before Beil pushed past him and ran up towards the main deck: her metal boots clanking hard into the steel surface in a fast rhythm as she ran along the flashing hallways.

O'Mont'yr stood on the bridge as the human ships opened fire at their sudden appearance. The battleship Ocean's Wrath and two Hero class Sa'cea mod cruisers had just dropped in out of warp. O'Mont'yr smirked slightly as most of the hastily made shots missed but a few hit the deflecter shields for a moment before glancing off into space. "Transfer all deflector power to the front deflectors. Redestribute the power once their fighters get in their weapon range." O'Mont'yr barked out orders and he couldn't have a better crew to follow them for the were of the Air Caste. The Air Caste bred, born, and trained from birth to be the best pilots and space crew in the galaxy.

"Keep the Baracudas in launch bays. I repeat do not launch any fighters. Escort 2 target their fighters, Escort 1 you are to target the Adeptus ship with Ocean's Wrath until the fighters get half to us then switch priority to them. Lock On and Return Fire! Mont'ka!" Streams of ion energy streak and large slugs of metal launched at near light speed (which made them actually impossible to see until they hit) from the railgun batteries across space to the Adeptus ship, which O'Mont'yr felt at the moment poised the greatest threat. "Helm, keep them infront of us and prepare a jump course out of here." O'Mont'yr knew he wouldn't be able to take the human fleet out in one battle but he and his escorts were just a diversion, while a transport Hero class and its escort unloaded their forces onto the planet but the planet was between them and the fight making them almost undetectable and untouchable.... for the moment. However Mont'yr wasn't planning on leaving the human ships unfazed, "Flank 1 and Flank 2 you are clear to engaged our target. Focus fire on the engines, hit and run." During the battle, Ocean's wrath was relaying data to the Sa'cea cruisers designated Flank 1 and Flank 2 who's job was to circle around outside sensor range and hit the Imperials' rears. O'Mont'yr wanted to cripple the Adeptus ship's mobility before leaving.

His ultimate goal was to for the humans to the negotiation table either to get them to leave the system or...... There was always a place for them in the Greater Good and humans have joined them before. "Prepare missile silos and lock them onto the imperial fighters.. They're about to get a nasty surprise." He was of course refering to the interceptor missiles which are guided by its on AI to the target, the disadvantage was they were short range by Tau standards. O'Mont'yr could feel the ship start to strain under the barrage of human fire and took a seat before he would or could be knocked to the floor. They just needed to last long enough for the transport ship and maybe hurt the human's strongest ship. "Just keep working at their shields for when Flank 1 and 2 show up!"
Which wouldn't be long...But how long could either side last???

As soon as she was in sight of the main bridge the guards readied themselves, but then hastily saluted her, stepping aside so she could move on through unhindered.
It was painfully obvious who was in charge on the bridge. A large man, rather portly by any standards, stood in the center of a crescent platform that formed the ships control array. His voice boomed out over the din and men scurried around follow orders the the letter. As he turned Beil was almost dazzled for a moment by the shear number of medals adorning his chest. On his shoulder he wore a fleet commanders badge, intricately customised.

As soon as he caught sight of her his voice ceased booming and he made directly for her. Even though she was an interrogator, Fleet Commander Allurn Pelumian treated her as if she held the rank of inquisitor, he had been a very close friend of her fathers and had personally volunteered for the mission, bringing along all of his fleet he could gather in the time allowed.
He saluted and she returned the gesture immediately. "We have made contact with Tau forces in the area, an astropathic comminique has been sent to the ordo Xenos who have responded that they were already en route to the system. Your Ordo master is most efficient, Beil."
They spoke on first name basis, something very rare considering their ranks. "You could have voxed me Allurn."
"My apologies but i was informed you were sleeping, i thought it rude to disturb you in such a rude manner."
"And the firing of an imperial navy destroyers ordinance cannon would not be considered rude?" They both laughed and turned walking toward the main command crescent.

The view of the battle was unparalleled. Even though each ship was huge, the perspective was such that each looked considerably smaller than they were. The Tau fleet was ahead, strategically placed in between them and a planet of the sector. She smirked their plan was too obvious, one she had seen many times over, but this was portrayed in a quite clever way.
The main spearhead of their Fleet was of such a size that it begged you to believe it was the entire force deployment of the area considering their hit and run tactics. But the simple fact that they were so close to Tau space suggested an ambush was imminent. She was about to ask what his plan on dealing with this was, but her question was answered almost immediately.
A astropath suddenly turned "Fleet Commander, sir!"
"What is the matter Shanik?"
"The Ordo Malleus ships are about to drop from warp in 80 seconds, sir!"
"From the position instructed?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Excellent!" He turned to Beil, "Do you see what they plan?"
She smiled and nodded. "They have positioned themselves in front of that planet, yet arn't charging towards us to get their main cannons in range, they are currently firing only long range weapons indicating this." She Looked out over the battle ahead. "If we charge them, the fleet will split, at such close distances with their main cannons will be more than effective as ripping us apart. Our only logical response would to try and wipe out one flank entirely, keeping us all in one formation to do so and not splitting apart our battle formation, presenting easy targets for ambushing ships to pick off, this would however present our engines to the other flank as they turned around in behind us." Suddenly the entire ship shook for a moment as a railgun round winged the forward sheilds. Up went the call "SHIELD'S HOLDING!!!"
Allurn laughed and clapped his hand together, his booming voice bounding out the laughter like cannon fire. "Indeed, and what would you plan Beil?"
"My own ambush."
"Indeed, this is not my entire fleet as im sure your aware." He turned to his command crescent. "Order all ships to fire on the torpedo salvoes into the lower-to-high starboard side of Enemy formation in staggered lines! Issue commands to the fighters to slot in behind the torpedoes and use them as cover from the enemy ships! change bearing by 10 degrees port and place All engines to maximum thrust! Tell the Adeptus Astartes ship to change bearing to, but keep in the heart of our formation, they will still perceive it as the biggest threat!"

10 seconds of silence followed before the waves of torpedoes launched out towards the enemy forces as instructed. They presented a formidable wall of fire-power that would forces the enemy ships to either disperse either side of the wave or make them move as one out of the way, the only sensible way to do this was by moving to the side not being attacked by the wall of torpedoes, exactly into the imperial fleets current bearing. Whatever they chose, they mind would surely be made for them.

As Beil watched, 2 black ships of the inquisition dropped from warp on the starboard side of the planet, perfectly in line with the current fleets flank. They were accompanied by half a dozen navy ships, 4 of which Had only their main forward guns, the sides of the ships littered with launch bays.

The next move was the enemies...

O'Mont'yr frowned when the imperial reinforcements arrive off their port flank. What made it worse was the possibility of those ship picking up the transport ship and escort. Then the wave of torpedoes added more concern but O'Mont'yr had an idea. "Escort 1, Escort 2 cease ion cannon fire and redirect railgun fire at the Adeptus." He turned to the weapons officers, "We're going to do the same. Cease Ion Cannon fire but keep the railguns going at the Adeptus." Now came the hard part, "Escort 1 and 2 follow our lead. Transfer all none combat and life support essential energy to the forward deflectors. All ahead full. Overcharge the ion cannons and ready the spine guns." The ship seem extra quiet at the moment at the order to plow through the torpedo wall but the orders were carried out without question.

(side note: spine gun are the tau torpedo weapons and are guided by advanced AIs to their targets. Have exeptional turning capabilites)

"What's the Transport ship's status?" A brief pause before a communication officer responded, "75% of forces deployed." O'Mont'yr nodded, "Good enough have them recall the orcas and get out of there." He looked out at the rapidly aproaching wall of possible death. "Lock on interceptor missiles to their fighters and unload them once we break through... All Hand Brace For Impact!" The Ocean's Wrath plowed through the torpedoes, a large number deflected off in random directions before exploding because of the overpower deflector shields (O'Mont'yr hoped a few of their fighters would be caught in the explosions) but the rest caused havoc. The ship shook violently and alarms sounded as some reached the hull, if O'Mont'yr wasn't in his chair he was sure he would have been dead. "We have hull breaches on decks..." O'Mont'yr zoned out the brief damage report. "Interceptors away and tracking.." O'Mont'yr recomposed himself and gave the next list of orders, "Helm put them in our front arc, redistribute deflector power to all sides," O'Mont'yr would have to thank the humans later for altering their course for now he had a better view of the Adeptus' side. "I bet those ion cannons are ready to burst so lets get this over with. All immediate ships target and fire all weapons on the Adeptus." He quickly turned to the weapons officer, "Target their engine and send the spines as a going away present from us." O'Mont'yr smiled.

At the moment the order to attack was given, Flank 1 and 2 appeared on the right and left flank of the human fleet quickly closing the distance. O'Mont'yr watch at the wonder he was beholding, the sight of overcharged ion beams, railgun rounds and spine torpedoes racing in on the Adeptus as the Flank ships fired all their weapons on its engines before warping out. As much as O'Mont'yr wanted to stay and watch the results of his ships' fire he knew it would be better to fall back for now. "Helm get us out of here. After jump make for the rendevous location. Transport Escort feel free to unload a barrage on one of their transports before you leave."
O'Mont'yr gave a small salute to the enemy ships before the helm made the ship's jump into the warp and Escort 1 and 2 quickly followed behind. The Transport ship finished recovering its orcas moments later and departed as well. Its escort poked its head out and unloaded on a single human transport.

O'Mont'yr was rubbing his head. It wasn't the fact that they had left the battle without surveying the results that was bothering him. No, it was the fact that he was going to have to listen to the head of the Earth Caste yell at him for all the damages he caused to the ships. He couldn't help but wonder what was going through the enemy commanders head at that moment......