Perseus Deeps: Eldar raid Aethor

While the war continued in the Libria sytem things were far quieter in the Perseus Deeps. The Necron empire had apparently returned to slumber, and the war on Minos between Stahl and the Novgorod regiments had ground to a halt. The eldar however, released from their alliance commitments, now continued their other agenda within the Deeps.

Aethor was the next target of the Disciples of Y'nead, and aided by their dark eldar kin the xenos descended in force on the Imperial colony on 1002.016M42. The government of Aethor immediately sent an astropathic request for aid, which was picked up by the Ultramarines. The astartes force were just getting into position to contain the eldar incursion when another unexpected set of would be rescuers turned up. A force of Iron Warriors, loyal to Apollo and the Federacy, announced their intention to lend a hand in Aethor's defence.

The ultramarines had little experience with the Libria campaign, and had become aware that without help the eldar would certainly overrun Aethor anyway. In the past the Federacy had professed to be part of the Imperium, and it took little time for them to decide to allow the Iron Warriors to aid in the defence of the world. The Iron Warriors for their part were equally dissatisfied with the situation. They had hoped to come to the rescue of Aethor and thus add the world to the Federacy by the back door. In fact this particular element of Federal forces had been patrolling the Deeps for some time assessing the defensive capabilities of various worlds. The Aethor attack had seemed like an opportunity, but the arrival of the Ultramarines was unfortunate.

In the event however the allied space marine force soon found itself in deep trouble, as the extent of the eldar/dark eldar incursion became evident. This was no raid, but an invasion. Attacking in force and with their most elite forces, the Disciples of Y'nead and the dark eldar kabal aiding them very nearly slaughtered the Iron Warriors and Ultramarines, and by 2002.015M42 almost one third of the colony had been overrun by the aliens. Questions of control and acquisition of another imperial world would have to be put on hold as the Iron Warriors found themselves embroiled in a war with their former allies.