The planet of Dellula III was not a very remarkable world - just another ordinary-looking planet in the middle of nowhere, it would seem from the outside.
All such illusions would be shattered on a closer look.
For this seemingly innocuous world was the center of a vicious war between two burgeoning powers in the region.
On one side, there was the Imperium of Man, or more precisely, the local Imperial forces (the local regiments of the Imperial Guard, the local Forge Worlds under the Adeptus Mechanicus, the elements of the Navis Imperialis that were present in the sector, and the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes that were in the vicinity).
On the other side, there was the Tau Empire, or better said, the En'na'ikon Sept, which had been expanding to the space north of the Empire, and as a result, were on an inevitable collision course with the Gue'la.
The ongoing Dellula III Campaign was a clear sign of just how severe the collision was, with the Imperium and the Tau indulging in a brutal slugfest for the planet for at least four standard months for now.
It had begun in a manner all too similar to the T'ros Campaign, with the governor of Dellula III seeking to join the Tau, and his decision had the support of the populace of the planet, as well as most of his advisers. Well, most, because a few of them were a little too loyal to the Emperor, and leaked his plans to the Imperium.
It helped matters that Governor Thaddeus was a very careful man, and had anticipated being outed by Imperial loyalists in his ranks. He had sent a missive to the nearby Sept, asking for assistance, before executing his plans to join the Tau.
Needless to say, when the Gue'la found out about Thaddeus' treachery, they were apoplectic with fury. The shame of the Taros Campaign weighed heavy on them, and they were determined to prevent a repeat of it. And so, they mobilized a sizable force, with the dual intention to push back the Tau, and purge Dellula III, as a warning to the other Imperial worlds nearby.
They might have succeeded, had it not been for the En'na'ikon Sept dispatching a task force to secure Dellula III, a larger one than that sent to T'ros, for a very crucial reason.
For starters, the En'na'ikon Sept differed from the rest of the Tau Empire in one vital aspect - one that almost led to them being considered the second coming of the Farsight Enclaves.
Being a Sept in close proximity to Imperial space, En'na'ikon was home to many Gue'vesa, some of whom had chosen to defect to the Tau due to being convinced of the superiority of the Greater Good, or had been captured during the many battles to expand the Sept. Be that as it may, what mattered was that they were now Gue'vesa, the human allies of the Tau, and a part of the Empire.
In comparison to the other Septs, En'na'ikon had a greater percentage of Gue'vesa, and the numbers were sufficiently large that the Sept leadership was forced to think of ways to keep them happy and a part of the Greater Good.
After much debate, a solution was proposed by the Water Caste - to expand the range of opportunities available to the Gue'vesa. This would allow Gue'vesa serving in a military capacity to be able to be promoted to higher ranks, starting from 'el (Knight) to 'o (Commander). It would follow similarly for the Gue'vesa serving in the Kor'vattra and the civilian branches.
While the more pragmatic elements of the leadership across the Fire Caste, the Water Caste, the Earth Caste and the Air Caste were in favor of the proposal, the more conservative elements were not quite forthcoming in their support. It had taken the Ethereal Caste (after much deliberation amongst themselves) to sway them over, and the proposal was passed.
The benefits of the proposal began to manifest themselves quickly enough, as the ranks of the Fire Caste swelled with new Gue'vesa recruits, who now had a chance to undergo the Trial by Fire. This gave them a chance to become Heroes (Gue'vesa'vre) and get the rights to pilot a Battlesuit. While they could pilot any Battlesuit they wanted to (the Earth Caste engineers of the Sept having made changes to the designs that allowed for both Tau and Gue'vesa to pilot them), they preferred the XV9 Hazard Close Support Armor and the XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit.
Add to this, the presence of an unusual organization. The Cult of Utility was a grouping of Adeptus Mechanicus Tech Priests and Magi whose views were considered sufficiently radical to be declared Hereteks by the Imperium, and thus were either forced underground, or to defect from the Imperium, if possible. And those who had made it to the Tau Empire, had formed an organization to unify themselves, and sworn fealty to the Empire and the Greater Good. Now they were busy in the factories of the Sept worlds, helping develop and produce armor, arms, munitions and vehicles for the Gue'vesa who served in the Empire's military.
With such strength, the task force sent to Dellula III could well nigh afford to be confident.
…..
As they say, no plan survives contact with the enemy, and this saying proved to be all too true for the Gue'la, as they would find out to their detriment as they landed on Dellula III.
Having been briefed by the reports of an Auditor in the Departmento Munitorum that something was wrong with the mining figures on Dellula III, the Imperials had been concerned that a second Taros was in the works. They responded by stepping up deployments of military forces in the Dellula System, waiting for the planetary governor to slip up.
Except, Planetary Governor Thaddeus was one step ahead of the Imperium he was supposed to be serving loyally. He had sent secret missives to the Tau Empire requesting assistance in defending the planet, as a conflict for it would most likely occur in the near future.
On receiving the message, the Tau carefully considered the ramifications of the request. On one hand, there was the prospect of the expansion of the Empire, one that was difficult to pass up. On the other hand, knowing what they did of the Gue'la and the experiences of the T'ros Campaign, they could expect a vicious response at the very least if they tried to intervene. In the end, the decision was taken to support the Gue'vesa of Dellula III against their oppressors.
The responsibility of arranging a task force fell to the En'na'ikon Sept, who had considerable experience fighting the Imperium, and had a significant percentage of Gue'vesa among them. This allowed for greater tactical flexibility on the part of the Tau, as their Gue'vesa allies took on the burdensome task of close-quarters combat, leaving them to strike from a longer range, as they preferred.
Thus, the stage was set for a conflict that would be like none the Tau had seen so far.
Dellula III
Dellula System
Ultima Segmentum
The teams of Pathfinders kept a strict, unbroken vigil on the path in front of them, awaiting the arrival of a convoy of Imperial armor as per the intel given by the Stealthsuit Cadres.
As per the reports, this particular convoy was quite large, consisting of several Leman Russ Battle Tanks, Chimera Transports, Sentinel walkers, Tauros Venator and Tauros RAVs. It was obvious that the Imperials were planning a big offensive, but the T'au were in the dark as to the target, so far. Not that it mattered.
Such a large convoy, if allowed to pass by unmolested, would prove to be a major threat later on. And thus, the Pathfinder teams, some composed of Tau, some of Gue'vesa, prepared themselves to call in a barrage of Seeker Missiles.
One of the Gue'vesa Pathfinders, Hektor Traulk by name, seemed to be a little tense, as he observed the column of Gue'la armor through his binoculars.
Observing this, one of his comrades, Pavlo Obetin, gave him a slight tap on the shoulder, and asked, "
You look worried, mate. Having second thoughts or what?"
Not taking his eyes off the convoy, Hektor replied, "
I'm not worried, just thinking about the column up front. To be honest, it is unlike the Imperials to deploy so many forces at once. Do they have multiple simultaneous offensives planned, or a single forceful offensive?"
Turning his eyes back to the procession in front, Pavlo said, "
Can't say, considering they haven't exactly been tactical with their deployments so far. They moved in with all the bluster you'd expect of them, looking for a brawl or two, failing to realize that…."
"
We don't do brawls here. At least, not our Tau friends, at any rate." Another Pathfinder, Lasko Grarn, commented dourly, which unfortunately fell in earshot of their commanding officer, Gue'vesa'ui Nathal Al-Solimi.
He reached out and struck the offending Pathfinder on the head.
"
Ow! What was that for?" Lasko said, rubbing the sore spot.
"
For running your mouth a little bit more than necessary. And as for the remark you just made, be grateful it was just me who heard it. Had it been any of our Tau friends, you would have been in big trouble by now." Nathal said with a stern voice.
"
And now get on the Tetras, Caracals and Sawfishes, you idiots! The convoy will be approaching the designated ambush point in a few hours. Get going, NOW, NOW, NOW!" The Gue'vesa'ui snapped as the Pathfinders under him scrambled to their vehicles.
……
The long convoy of Imperial armor chugged on towards its designated target - an ore processing facility in the Neroganda Highlands, which was heavily fortified, as per intelligence reports.
The Imperials attached much significance to Dellula III, due to it being a vital Mining World that supplied the surrounding worlds in its system and the neighboring ones with much needed minerals in order to keep the Imperial war machine operational. Thus they were determined to take it back, but not before making an gruesome example of the planetary governor and the other traitors.
Thus the push to take high value targets, like the ore processing facilities, the local settlements, and the capital city, and end the campaign in one fell stroke.
So far, that had not materialized, with the T'au not giving them the pleasure of going toe to toe. It had been a consistent series of annoying skirmishes by Pathfinders, dealing disproportionate damage and then quickly retreating away. This left the defenders cursing the lack of a Deathwatch Kill-Team, and the refusal of Macragge to provide them with one.
Only recently had the Commander of the Imperial forces assigned to the Dellula III Campaign, General Gregor van der Kane, authorized offensive actions against the enemy, feeling that they were giving too much initiative to the foe by taking their time to prepare. His advisors, who were of a more cautious and methodical bent of mind, had tried to rein him in, but he stubbornly stuck to his stand, causing them to relent in the end.
He had no inkling of the rude awakening he was in for.
……
The long column of armor exited the valley they had been traveling through, and entered a plain. This caused everyone to heave a sigh of relief. Having had to travel single file in the valley had slowed them down appreciably. The plains would free them of such restraints, and hopefully allow them to make good the prior losses in time.
It would not help much, as the Pathfinder teams had sent back intel of the arriving force to the commander of the defending force, who had assembled a force to intercept it, and defeat it.
Having mapped out the planet's regions in detail, the Tau and their allied forces could make an educated guess as to what route the Imperials would take to reach Ore Processing Center 21-10. They had prepared a defending force accordingly.
On both sides of the route, Hammerhead and Swordfish grav-tanks, Sky Ray Missile Gunships and Drone Harbingers, shrouded by Stealth Drones, patiently waiting for the arrival of their prey, at which time they would be dealt a killing blow.
Hidden alongside the path lay teams of Pathfinders, accompanied by a few Ghostkeel Battlesuits on each side. These hidden hunters were maintaining a strict vigil for the Gue'la, with very strict orders from the Shas'o to await a coded message.
Placed some distance away, but not out of reach of the chosen battlefield, were the Cavalry Cadres and Skirmisher Cadres of the Gue'vesa. These agile units were tasked with providing vital anti-personnel support, and to close the dragnet on the Imperials.
Alongside them was a new vehicle that the Tau had just completed field testing for, and had just been inducted into service. It was hoped to be a force multiplier on the battlefield, although the Fire Caste remained tight-lipped on the possibility.
The Air Caste was also ready, their Barracudas executing aerial patrols to keep an eye on the foe, and the Mantas, Razorsharks and Tiger Sharks awaited orders to provide heavy fire support, should it be needed.
The stage was, thus, set for a brutal battle.
…..
As the armored convoy proceeded onto its eventual destination, there was a sense of unease that Willem was unable to disperse.
From the moment they had marched out to take the battle to the vile Xenos who were eyeing this Mining World, he had been beset with dire premonitions when he slept. That the campaign was doomed to defeat, that there would be many losses, and that he, along with many of his comrades, would be…..
He refused to admit such heretical thoughts, and redoubled his prayers in the name of the Emperor, in order to reinforce his faith, but it was a palliative measure at best. The premonitions didn't really leave him, but at least he had gotten better at hiding his fears from everyone, especially the Commissar, a rough, burly fellow, whose name he didn't really care to remember, who claimed descent from some noble House or the other, in order to boss around the Guardsmen and Guardswomen.
He had seen quite a few Commissars in his service, but none as obnoxious and overbearing as this one. And it was clear that he was not the only one with such thoughts. At least half of the troops of the regiments were, from what he had heard, suppressing their anger at their Commissars, and some were even toying with the idea of assassinating them.
Such a state of affairs was hardly conducive to raising the morale of the troops on the front, already under strain thanks to the vicious tactics used by the Commissars to maintain order.
The hubris of the higher level officers and generals was not shared by those on the front, who were battling nervous attacks due to the Tau not choosing to engage them, and playing a long waiting game.
This led to frayed nerves and tempers, as some sought means to release the pent-up tensions, which left them in a less-than-optimal state for combat.
Such was the condition of the troops heading into a deadly trap at Ore Processing Center 21-10.
…..
Peering through his binoculars, Hektor had a slight start as he saw the clouds of dust in the distance.
Opening a secure communications channel, he said, "
Enemy sighted, approaching from the south."
"
Good. Keep your Markerlights ready, everyone. Wait for the signal, and then we will mark the targets, as one." his CO, Gue'vesa'ui Nathal Al-Solimi said on the comms. Similar instructions were being passed by the leaders of the Pathfinder teams to their charges.
Having received their orders, the Pathfinders stayed still, going radio silent, watching the Imperials head forward, with the eyes of a group of hunters, awaiting the moment to strike.
The Tau, who were rather used to this sort of thing, were able to maintain a level of calm amongst themselves. Their Gue'vesa allies, however, were having a hard time suppressing the excitement within themselves, as the enemy approached, something that earned them a few raps on the head and harsh whispers to calm down.
It seemed to have done the trick, at least in Lasko's case, as he took a few deep breaths, calmed himself down, and held his Markerlight a little tightly.
Soon enough, a transmission was made to the Pathfinder teams, consisting of a single word. It was the long-awaited signal to start the attack.
"
T'ros."
Smiling to himself, Lasko quickly turned on his Markerlight, and flashed it on a Leman Russ Battle Tank, as he said to himself, "
Time to hunt."
……
"Seeker Missiles! Watch it!"
There was not much time for the tankers to maneuver before the dreaded missiles struck, leaving the convoy immobilized.
It all occurred in a matter of seconds, leaving the Imperials rattled and terrified, not knowing what to do for a while.
When they recovered from their shock, they were greeted by a rather demoralizing sight.
Many of the Leman Russ Battle Tanks lay burning and broken from the barrage, and others were severely damaged. Some of them had managed to escape the destruction (luckily, they thought). The Chimeras and other vehicles in the middle of the column were unhurt - so far.
But that was about to change, as from both sides, a sound was heard. It sounded like the distant crack of a whip, and seconds later, shells struck the undamaged Leman Russes as they were trying to maneuver out of the stalled convoy and take defensive positions.
The Pathfinders had, contrary to usual Tau doctrine, not moved away, but were now marking targets for the Hammerheads and Swordfishes that had moved in for the kill. The remaining Leman Russes were dispatched in no time, the T'au grav-tanks being nowhere near their maximum range.
As the Guardsmen and Guardswomen hastily exited their Chimeras and the Sentinels and Tauros RAVs prepared to defend from the enemy, whom they expected to attack, several Devilfish transports, accompanied by teams of Gue'vesa raiders riding TX39 Sawfish¹ skimmer bikes and TX48 Caracal² HATVs, came in at high speed, and stopped some distance from the stalled column. Teams of Fire Warriors, both Tau and Gue'vesa, rapidly disembarked and tossed Photon Grenades in the direction of the burning wrecks.
The smarter Imperial Guard troopers were able to avoid the grenades by finding what cover they could, even as many others found themselves blinded and dazzled for a few moments.
As they shook off the feeling, the Fire Warriors let loose with their Pulse Rifles and Pulse Autoguns³, cutting a vicious swathe through the hapless Guardsmen and Guardswomen, whose flak armor afforded little to no protection against the advanced weaponry originating from the world of Ru'hesa⁴.
Even as the fighting occurred, four rather long vehicles⁵ made their way towards it, carrying a most unusual cargo along. As they approached, their cargo - six XV8 Crisis Battlesuits on each vehicle - disengaged, and activating their thrusters, zoomed in towards the field of battle.
The new reinforcements forced the increasingly desperate Guardsmen to ask for aerial support, which would be answered by two squadrons of Vulture Gunships, moving in at their fastest. However, they were intercepted and shot down by a squadron of Barracudas before they could provide any meaningful aid.
After that, the Tau and their allies mopped up the Imperials without much trouble, and immediately made preparations to retreat.
……
Back at the base camp near the capital city of Dellula III, there was a lot of hubbub and chatter. Having subject the Imperials to a series of losing trades, and now, having nipped an offensive action by them in the bud, the mood was positive, but not overconfident.
Some of the fresher Gue'vesa recruits were poking fun at their foes, and expressing confidence that the campaign would be smooth sailing, leading to sighs from the more hardened Gue'vesa troopers and officers, as well as the deputy commander in charge of the campaign.
"
These idiots, who are just fresh out of training, who have no idea what a campaign against genuine Imperial forces is like, are now talking of victory with such confidence, after a few skirmishes and breaking a large armor column! If this is what we have to work with, then we are in for a rough journey ahead." Gue'vesa'el Hatiel Starford, a decorated warrior who had led the forces of the Greater Good through several battles, grumbled in exasperation and annoyance, as he paced about in his quarters.
He reflected on the events of life that had brought him here.
First, he had been a mere Imperial Guardsman, one among billions, just another piece of cannon fodder who would be forgotten immediately after his death. But he seemed to have a knack for surviving the battlefields he was deployed to, and got promoted as a result. Eventually, he would be leading troops as a Captain.
The atrocities he had seen during his service, the excessive brutality of the Commissars he had witnessed, the degradation and corruption he was unable to protest against, would build up feelings of disillusionment within him, that would cause him to defect in the future, as he and his unit, the 132nd Neroxian Grenadiers, defied orders to exterminate a peaceful, thriving community of so-called heretics whose only crime had been to consort with Xenos, in this case, the Tau.
It had been a difficult fight for him and his men, but the fortunate appearance of a Tau fleet had deterred the Imperials and forced them to retreat. Having been rescued, they would become one of the more elite Gue'vesa units in the Tau Empire.
Notwithstanding his sympathies for xenophiles, Starford would still find it slightly difficult to adjust to the Tau and their philosophy of the Greater Good. But to his credit, he made every possible effort to do so, while serving as an Auxiliary in the Tau military.
His service with the Tau was another story in its own, and he intended to write a book about it someday. Suffice it to say that the Fire Caste had been very impressed by his loyalty and dedication, and were seriously considering the idea of a promotion to the rank of 'el, only for the Ethereals to shoot down the idea.
It was only after his campaigns in the En'na'ikon Sept that the idea would be revived, and implemented on a greater scale than before.
As he was musing, a knock was heard on his door, breaking his reverie.
"
You have permission to enter." he said to whoever was outside.
The door opened, and Starford was greeted with the sight of a veteran warrior who was looked upon as a role model by many in the expeditionary force. Shas'vre Y'eldivash looked like a warrior with the experience of several battlefields, and quite a few were…. difficult ones, to say the least. Starford was of the opinion that he would make a fine Shas'o, given time.
Both of them greeted each other, then Starford said, "
Well met, Y'eldivash. I hope everything is alright?"
The Shas'vre replied, "
Gue'vesa'el Starford, everything is alright. There is not much to worry about right now, at this stage. Later on, something may happen, but there is no need to worry about it right now." with a calm, composed face.
Starford sighed internally. For all his virtues, this was the only fault Y'eldivash had - his tendency to talk in a roundabout manner.
Brushing off the slight annoyance he felt, the Deputy Commander said, "
I agree, but it does help to have a backup plan at times. Anyhow, why did you come here?"
Y'eldivash shifted to a more somber tone as he said, "
Commander Mirrorstrike requests your presence in her chambers."
Starford's demeanor changed on hearing the words.
"
The Commander? This must be important if she is summoning me…" he thought to himself, a little worried.
"
Did she elaborate as to the reason I am being summoned?" he asked, masking the worry in his voice.
"
She did say that she wished to discuss the progress of the campaign so far. There may be more things she might talk about, but I know nothing of that."
"
Very well, I will go to meet her post-haste. Fare you well, my friend." Starford said as he prepared to leave.
1. A light skimmer, not dissimilar to the jetbikes used by the Space Marines, the Asuryani and the Drukhari. Armed with two short range Fusion Lacerators.
A Gue'vesa Cavalry Cadre trooper riding a Sawfish
2. A multi-purpose lightweight all-terrain vehicle designed by the Cult of Utility for the Gue'vesa serving in the T'au military.
A Caracal with a Gue'vesa trooper and a Vespid Stingwing
3. A Plasma weapon based on the same principles as the T'au Pulse Rifle, but somewhat akin to the Imperial Autoguns in appearance. Produced by the Arsenal World of Ru'hesa. In service with the Gue'vesa troops of the T'au Empire. Current version: Elpis Pattern Type II.
4. A world in the En'na'ikon Sept, which serves as the headquarters of the Cult of Utility. Dotted with factories and laboratories.
5. The TY10 Sky Eel, a new vehicle designed jointly by the Earth Caste engineers and the Cult of Utility. Used to provide XV8 Crisis Battlesuit reinforcements to the field of battle. Armed with a single nose-mounted Burst Cannon.
A TY10 Sky Eel, as compared to the Devilfish, the Hammerhead and the Sky Ray
En'na'ikon Sept
Founded: Third Sphere of Expansion
Usual colors: Dark aquamarine
Noteworthy characters:
- Shas'O En'na'ikon Sha J'Kaara (Commander Mirrorstrike)
- Kor'O En'nai'ikon Suam N'Lan (Admiral Darkwing)
A/N: All right, it's finally done.
A story about the adherents of the Greater Good.
PS: Thank you for the naming suggestion for the Sept,
@Curtains !
