In late 018M42 the alliance, the forces of chaos (led by the Emerald Serpent) and the Imperium, were all making their own plans to dominate the worlds of the Echo Cluster, thus dominating the Hadron Expanse and the link between the (predicted) Foramen Ignotum and the rest of the sector. While the Imperium were unaware that the Emerald Serpent were launching an invasion of Dnatha with the aid of several traitor Legio engines, the host of the Knight Household of the Aether Striders as well as a warfleet from Lord Tragean, the followers of the dark gods were similarly unaware that Dnatha had been significantly fortified and reinforced following the arrival of the Tau.
The commander of the Hadron Campaign, as the unified Imperium had dubbed it, was indisputably Lord General Chuikov, assisted by Admiral's Enkvist and Barham, with the support of several astartes companies and the aid of Inquisitor Vorushko and Lord Huron. Common cause in the Hadron Expanse once again saw the Imperium acting as a unified and brutal force, and the Aether Striders with their Titan support were more than a little shocked to find their initial landing on the outer world of Dnatha IV immediately and brutally opposed by the Hammers of the Emperor.
The superhuman warriors of the adeptus astartes lived up to their reputation. Without war engine or artillery support, the power armoured marines took the fight to the traitors none-the-less, engaging Knights and the warhound titan sent to support the initial landing. In a brutal assault, the Aether Striders and their Titan were obliterated, the Emerald Serpent being rebuffed having expected a simple or unopposed landing to create a base of operations. The remaining chaos forces were hastily withdrawn to the safety of Tragean's fleet, while Admiral Enkvist moved in to block Tragean from threatening the ongoing fortification of the inner worlds. What Malkaor now made of the situation from his isolated tau-alliance bridgehead on Dnatha III could not be imagined.
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