Race War

 

Shaka would have been dreadfully concerned at the mere hypothetical suggestion that the Jade Emperor wanted a temporary alliance with the Ulthwe Eldar. But the Jade Emperor was serious. When Shaka was briefed, he then understood. The Jade Emperor had once again made contact with that enigmatic fellow. The one who was allegedly associated with the Harlequins. Then he understood. If the Kabal of the Liquid Sword could get access to just some of the truths that the Harlequins had access to... Besides, the esteemed Jade Emperor was always a patron of the arts. This Harlequin made the Jade Emperor privy to Imperium activity in the Tinles system, where the Liquid Sword had just set up shop to investigate and then raid an alleged Ulthwe mining colony on Tinles IV. The Harlequin suggested aligning with the Ulthwe. As unpalatable as that sounded, dealing with the sellouts was favorable to dealing with the Space Nazis. At least the sellouts would ask questions first, then shoot later. Shaka was sent to patrol the area with the Ulthwe. In any event, the Eldar lost the battle to the Space Marines, and now the outpost would have to be abandoned. As Archon Shaka was felled in battle and in critical condition at the Haemonculi's labs, Sybarite Masai, the last standing squad leader, would bear the bad news.

J.E.: Report.

S.M.: The Tinles outpost has been abandoned. The Space Nazis were incredible in battle. The Archon made a critical error, as did the Ulthwe. Nevertheless, 1/3rd of our men and most of the mined ores have retreated to Commoragh safely.

J.E.: Which Chapters were you forced deal with?

S.M.: Blood Angels and Space Wolves, your mighty omnipotence.

J.E.: Sh*t, two of the worst. I'm impressed that you all lost as little as you did. You won't be punished this time, so long as the Archon survives his surgery. What were they doing there?

S.M.: Apparently, all of us happened to be interested in the ores and resources in the Tinles system. The Imperium's forces were setting up shop too. Unfortunately, they were successful.

J.E.: We'll handle that another time. What happened in the battle?

S.M.: The Ulthwe arrived en mass incredibly fast, and in my opinion and the Archon's folly he tried to keep up with them by having Edea set up the webway portal in a cornfield. As I learned when I arrived to the battle; bad, bad idea. The Blood Angels came in full force, and a lascannon took out the Ulthwe's Gav Tank from a couple of miles of away. Just by hitting its wing! From what I was told, the chain reaction from the tip of the wing to the main engines was an awesome sight for those fortunate enough not to be in that Grav Tank. The Ulthwe counterattacked by taking out a Blood Angel Razorback. The Obsidian Knights held down the cornfield as the Blood Angels began to bring the heat onto them. Meanwhile, Archon had the Horns maintain the trickiest area to the west where the Space Wolves played the waiting game and the Blood Angels wanted to penetrate. The Diamond Knights were completely snuck on and snuffed out. At this time, the Liquid Sword sustained heavy casualties. My unit was forced to take an alternate route and had to trudge through a river and get into battle late. Quite frankly, we were getting our @sses handed to us. Archon was so paranoid of the Lascannon that he didn't allow the Scourges to perch on the roof of the western building to pick off the enemy. The Zulu Knights and the Monster Squad were lost in the cornfield for quite some time, and I wisely decided that the Talos would not come through the portal and bring in the rear. Meanwhile, the Ulthwe, while taking casualties (but not as many as we did) sent in Swooping Hawks to beat out the Blood Angels, and the Horns were so juiced up that they had no aim. They failed to finish off or at least cripple the Blood Angels and that allowed them to consolidate. The Archon screwed up big this time, your mighty omnipotence.

J.E.: Save your opinions for when I ask you for them. I asked you for the facts. Now present them. If you have a problem with the Archon, I can arrange a duel between the two of you...

S.M.: <swallows and pales> My sincerest apologies your mighty omnipotence. Just the facts. To hear is to obey. The facts are that by the time the Monster Squad made it out of the cornfield, they were simply cut down along with Imhotep. He perished on the field. Meanwhile, one of the Exarchs of the Ulthwe took out a Blood Angel Rhino, and the Blood Angels inexplicably retreated from the battle. Shortly after this, an Ulthwe Warlock was attacked by the warp and destroyed before our very eyes! Tired of being outdone, The Zulu Knights (when they finally made it out of the cornfield) fell upon the battle like the deadliest plague, just as the Space Wolf Terminators obliterated the last of the Horns. The Archon, in his fury, singlehandedly and barehandedly destroyed the Space Wolf Rhino. That proved to be his undoing, because the Terminators within the Rhino leaped out and finished off him and his retinue. The Incubi made sure his portal unit was functional as we retreated the battle and they teleported to safety.

J.E.: It is now obvious to me that the Blood Angels were merely support for the Space Wolves. How...unusual. They must have been after something special. Well, Masai, recuperate and then get your Knights in shape. I want perpetual swimming drills conducted to whip you all into shape. The river will not serve as an excuse again.

S.M.: To hear is to obey.