Foramen: Tarlius base retaken by chaos

With the Imperial Fleet now firmly in control of the outer system and Stahl fortifying the inner worlds, there remained an Achilles heel to the Imperial foothold in the Tarlius system within the Foramen Majoris. The outermost world was only lightly defended and host to a single imperial installation. If the forces of chaos could take this through stealth, the Imperium would find themselves with a hostile force behind their lines. Not a great threat on its own but a vital aid to Stahl and the chaos cause in monitoring Imperial build up, troop and fleet movements.

The Imperium had not completely neglected the outer world's defence, stationing a squad of astartes of the Hammers of the Emperor Chapter to maintain a vigilant watch over the facility. However, they did not expect to come under attack suddenly and without warning by a small but elite force of Death Guard. By using the arcane "device", of which only a few Imperial commanders were aware, the small force was deposited on the outer world from the inner sanctum of Stahl's domain. The hardiest of soldiers, the Death Guard were then able to infiltrate the base before ambushing the small squad of loyalist astartes.

A vicious firefight developed inside the cramped confines of the outpost facility, but the Death Guard overcame the defenders, killing the space marines and putting the workers to the sword, save for those who were kept on in order to maintain its function. The imperial forces were alerted to the chao presence, but now had to decide whether to spend valuable resources retaking the facility, or to simply blast it from space. However they knew now that even if destroyed, the chaos forces could return and install yet another listening post. Either a force needed to be established on the ground or a permanent watch by naval vessels, a patrol the Imperial navy could scarcely afford. The naval option looked attractive compared to the landing of troops on what was otherwise a lifeless worthless rock, but Admiral D'Oyly-Hughes was hesitant to split off a force of escorts lest they become prey for a larger chaos force of ships. The Death Guard act had driven a serious thorn into the loyalist invasion plans of the rest of the Tarlius system.