[Dan296]

Inquisitor Malekai stood aboard his cruiser, the Sentry. It was a converted Imperial navy escort, which he retrofitted with more powerful warp drives, heavy armour, and four torpedo tubes. The ship currently orbited Laerta, Baetica’s largest moon. It was unpopulated save for an inquisitorial fortress. Apparently the local residents were uncomfortable living near the Emperors servants.
Sentry had been unable to contact the world for three weeks, about a week before the Tau arrived. Malekai suspected Xenos sympathizers had sabotaged the vox systems, though he still wondered why the astropath was unable to contact anyone. “Shows us the folly of trusting such witches,” Malekai said to himself.
The Tau fleet that had appeared in the system was gargantuan. Several colony ships, a dozen smaller ships that looked like escorts, and even a huge capital ship. A tiny inquisitor ship like the Sentry had no chance against such a force. Malekai was concerned about the fate of the Sororitas on Baetica.

“Governor Gruul. I see you disregarded our warnings.”
Katrina, accompanied by Breya and her warriors, stood in the audience chamber of the Gruul’s palace. The Governer himself, a huge ex-general, was joined by Tau and human envoys who whispered around him. Gruul had had an eye put out in some long gone battle. “Ah, Cannoness. So good to see you again. Its been a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Long enough, it seems, for you to throw away the Emperors blessings and welcome these foul xenos into your home!”
Gruul smiled, replying “Come now. The Tau simply want to trade! They have no ideas of taking Baetica. What use would needless fighting be? We should work together with them. For the greater good, you see?”
Katrina gasped. “Do you see what you are saying? They are taking over your mind. Soon you will hand over the defense of the Baetica, then Baetica itself over to the damned xenos!”
Gruul took a step forward, scowling, “Cannoness, you will not insult my guests this way. Guards! Escort the Sororitas out!”

Hatches opened in the sides of the audience chamber, and PDF forces filed out. Katrina turned around, and walked out, Breya’s squad following. Outside the palace, the rest of the convoy of Sororitas awaited. Katrina turned to them and said, “Gruul is lost to the Xenos. We have to withdraw, and rendezvous with Malekai. We are going to the starport and commandeering some shuttles. Move out!”
An hour later, they arrived at a munitions factory starport, where a huge cargo transport was being loaded up. The loading dock was being guarded by, Katrina noted with fury, Tau Fire warriors.
“Trading I see. Of course. Sororitas, keep moving!”
As they neared, the Tau sentries waved for them to stop. Katrina’s rhino, in the lead, pulled alongside the sentries. Katrina kicked open the side hatch.
The Tau spoke in nasely high gothic, “You there, human, do you have authorization to pass here?”
Katrina unholstered her bolt pistol and pressed it to the Tau’s temple. Beside her, Breya and her warriors stepped out of the hatches, bolters ready. The Tau leader cowered in fear, and his men backed off. “We are taking this transport. Try to stop us again and you will die.” She kicked the legs out from under the Tau, and waved her warriors on.

The servitors loading the huge transport were scattered. The Sororitas made room inside for the rhino APCs and immolators inside. Dozens of crates were scattered, and the Lasguns, grenades, food supplies, and other such supplies spilled out inside the cargo hold. Katrina walked inside into the bridge, were two servitor-pilots were hard-wired into the ship. “Prepare for takeoff.”
The hatches slammed close, and the engines whined to life. Outside, the Tau sentries opened fire on the transports bridge. Pulse fire glanced off of the ships plating, the small arms no use against the gargantuan transport. The plasma drives flared into life, and the engine wash flamed over the fire warriors, and incinerated them. Katrina, watching, turned to Breya and said “A fitting purging for the xenos. We must get into contact with Malekai. Pilots, make for Laerta.”
Breya grabbed Katrina’s shoulder and said “Mistress, what of the complex? The Shrine? We must recover our artifacts and the Order’s serfs before the tau annihilate it.”
“I am well aware of that Breya. We have more pressing matters first.”