Echo Reach: Dark Eldar ransack Tau archeological dig

The Tau-Federal alliance found their expedition into the Hadron Expanse hard going by the beginning of 07.018M42. At Vanir the loyalists had seen off their attempt to add the human colony to their Union, while at Mimir the world of New Titania was coming under threat from chaos forces. Echo Reach, the bastien of the expansion, heavily defended by Tau and Federal forces both on the ground and in space, seemed almost impregnable. Or so the alliance thought.

Despite the eldar of Kel Sandros having deliberately aided the expansion of the Tau Empire, Farseer Tarquil remained troubled. Now in the skeins of fate he saw a new terrible possible future revolving around the results of a joint Federacy-Tau archaeological investigation on the main planet of Echo Reach itself. Under the surface the humans and Tau had discovered ancient necron ruins, including a device of immense power. Once part of the Bahotek Dynasty's communications network, the Eldar became concerned that were the Federacy to get their hands on the device, then eventually the humans would become the pre-eminent force in the Tau-Federal alliance. This would have disastrous consequences.

The Eldar could not intervene directly. Tarquil would be unable to persuade the Tau to abandon their investigations, nor would interference in internal Tau-Federal dealings be welcomed. However the Craftworld Eldar did not want to make enemies of the alliance, so reluctantly contacted their dark kin. Vlokarion was once again faintly amused by the Eldar Farseer's request, and demanded a most unpalatable price for his intervention. The Drukhari would carry out Tarquil's bidding, but at a cost which suited them.

The kabal of the Crimson Blade attacked the Tau without warning, utilising webway portals opened for them by the Kel Sandros, just one of the Archaon's demands. The Tau, stunned by the ferocity and speed of the assault, quickly fell back, leaving the archaeological site undefended. The Necron device was secured swiftly, and then the Dark Eldar extracted the rest of their bargain price. Thousands of Tau and Federal citizens were slaughtered, and thousands more were rounded up and enslaved by the Drukhari. Depraved wanton butchery was observed by the alliance who pleaded with the Aeldari to intervene on their behalf. The Kel Sandros Craftworld remained silent.

The destruction of the archeological site brought to an end hopes of accelerating space travel in the sector by utlising the alien technology, and dented Alliance confidence and morale. However Echo Reach remained a core base for Tau and Federal forces, as none of her defences were impacted by the precision raid. Tarquil cast his gaze into the future once more and was satisfied by the new possibilities his actions had crafted.