Phitos was a death world, not due to barren landscapes or toxic atmospheres, but because of the vibrant, lethal life that thrived in every corner. Its jungles were lush, dense, and perpetually wet, with trees towering dozens of meters high. Their iron-hard wood and roots that dug impossibly deep formed a near-impenetrable barrier. The underbrush was so thick that visibility beyond two meters was impossible, and the aggressive, highly competitive megafauna constantly terrorized the human colonists. While defoliants, machinery, high walls, and heavy weapon emplacements could fend off these threats, it was the intelligent natives that truly haunted Governor Lera's nights.
She knew little about them. No bodies had ever been recovered, and witness testimonies were sparse and unreliable. They were humanoids, riding dinosaurs and wielding strange bone weaponry. These natives targeted miners, machinery, colonial security, supply silos, and power generators, turning Lera's life into a relentless struggle. She had no idea where they lived or where they came from, and lacked the means to find out.
Governor Lera understood from the start that Phitos was a dead-end assignment—a punishment post. The planet seemed hardly worth colonizing, its flora and fauna too aggressive, and its soil poisoned with heavy metals. But beneath this hazardous environment lay rich deposits of rare minerals, especially Adamantium ore, just below the surface and easy to access. Several ever-expanding pit mines had sprung up around the fortified settlement, with colossal rotary excavators digging up the mineral-rich soil, bringing civilization and industry to this hostile world.
The native attacks had escalated to the point where Lera was at risk of missing her tithe quotas, and failure would bring punishments she desperately sought to avoid. Despite the poor posting, she was still a governor, and Adamantium ore fetched a high price, allowing her a relative amount of luxury and wealth. Yet, the Moloch conflict had drained the attention of the Astra Militarum and the Imperial Navy, leaving her to fend for herself. The devastation of Atraxis had further complicated the supply of mining machinery, adding to her woes.
Desperation gnawed at her, but a solution soon presented itself.
Gazing into the sky through an ornate brass telescope, a servant handed her while another fanned her and a third held a sunshade to shield her from the elements, she saw the strange "gate" the mobile Imperial Navy drydock positioned above her planet. The ancient instrument clicked and whirred, bringing the sight into sharp focus.
Nervously, she glanced around. Surrounding her were several Sisters of Battle in blocky, massive power armor patterns she had never seen before. She had heard the hymnals telling of Princeps Lieutenant General Shepard, but when her Priest had offered to contact the General for help, she had not expected the response. A dropship had descended, carrying a battalion of Stoic Heart Sisters and a group of Knights of Tet claiming to represent the General. Their presence made her uneasy. Important events and people were not supposed to come to Phitos.
"Palatine," Governor Lera coughed politely, prompting one of the towering suits of powered armor to turn. "Why are we waiting here atop the outer wall?" She motioned towards the dense jungle before them and the Knight engines patrolling the underbrush below. "We are very exposed."
"In the Emperor's name, we will ensure your protection, Governor," a distorted voice emanated from the Sister. "We are waiting for her to make her appearance."
"Have patience, Governor," her priest intoned, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Rejoice, for He who sits upon the Golden Throne has chosen a daughter from distant lands to be His champion, a woman of resolve and dedication to the extermination of all mankind's enemies. Gaze upon the might of her weaponry, which has driven the forces of Moloch into retreat. At this very moment, she channels forgotten technological powers to travel across the stars towards us. Be patient and witness the might of the Legio Auto Militia! Look, the light heralding her arrival is lit."
Lera was about to ask something when a rotating light in the distance caught her attention, spinning faster and faster until it suddenly exploded in a bright, blue flash akin to a small atomic detonation. The shockwave rolled over her, causing her to stumble backward. When her vision cleared, she saw a towering god machine standing in a scorched clearing, a bright blue beam extending from its arm.
"Is that—," Lera stammered. "How did she, where, what is she?"
"She will solve your problems, Governor. Take a seat and enjoy the show," the Palatine laughed. Servants hurriedly brought over an ornate chair for the Governor. Lera sat down, watching in awe and horror as a city seemed to rise from the soil, titanit structures from which towering war machine rose to the sky and marched over the ground. Massive air transports delivered tanks and walking war machines towards the horizon.
"Governor Lera," a voice, refined yet stern, pierced the air, snapping Lera from her reverie. She turned to behold a young woman, impeccably attired in a cerulean coat, her eyes obscured by dark lenses, her blonde hair meticulously styled in a sidecut. Accompanying her were more soldiers clad in formidable power armor. "I am Commander Eliza Harkon. I have come to discuss the terms of our collaboration."
"A Harkon?" Lera exclaimed, springing to her feet and bowing deeply, forming the Aquila with her hands. "It is an honor, Lady Harkon. I am profoundly grateful for any assistance in the extermination of these xenos."
"I must temper your expectations, Governor," Commander Harkon responded with a sigh. "Our directives from the highest echelons are unequivocal: total extermination is not sanctioned. At this juncture, General Shepard is communicating our intent for the xenos to abstain from encroaching upon human territories. A formidable display of our might should convey the message, but to underscore it, all fauna and flora within a hundred-kilometer radius will be purged before our departure."
"They shall inevitably return," Lera retorted, frustration lacing her voice. "I attempted to incinerate them before, employing a squadron of Marauder bombers I had procured."
"Collaboration with the Crusade Planning Committee will guarantee sustained support," Harkon replied with a knowing grin, snapping her fingers. An attendant promptly approached, presenting a dataslate. "You will be endowed with the facilities to produce most of your mining apparati independently, and you will be able to refine Adamantium of unprecedented purity. Your colonial defense forces will be equipped with superior armaments, and a permanent UEF garrison will remain to bolster your security. In return, Adamantium output must increase tenfold, with the Crusade granted first purchase rights at a reduced rate in accordance with the Crusade-Support-Doctrine-Law as stipulated in the Lex Imperialis."
She extended the dataslate toward Lera.
"Your signature is required."
