Despite their conflicting agendas all the Aeldari factions were united in their determination to stop the ancient artefacts and knowledge of the Necrontyr from falling into the hands of the young races. To this end the descendents of Asuryan, disciples of Cegorach and denizens of the dark city had set aside their differences to blockade the Vespae system. Any interloper who trespassed simply disappeared without trace.When a Tau expeditionary fleet entered the system the Eldar of Kel Sandros were faced with a dilemma. Their status as members of the Alliance and their importance to Kel Sandros' plans afforded the Tau a courtesy none before had been offered – a warning.
“These worlds are forbidden to you and this system placed under quarantine. For the sake of the friendship born from our long alliance leave now and do not trespass further. Although it would sadden us greatly to carry out such a sentence to step upon these worlds carries the penalty of death.”
Angered by the arrogance of the Eldar and determined to secure the ancient technology here for the greater good, as were their orders, Malkaor's expeditionary fleet refused the ultimatum and instead took up orbit above Vespae prime. Mantas began ferrying troops down to the planetary surface but drop zone operations had to be halted as Eldar warships appeared over the planet’s horizon and forced the fleet to break low orbit and adopt a defensive formation.
Down on the surface of Vespae bands of Fire Warriors soon located an entrance into the Necron tomb complex, only to find their way blocked by Eldar warriors. Wary of initiating hostilities the two sides agreed to parley but the discussions quickly broke down into insults and acrimony, the Tau Fireblade demanding the condescending Autarch stop treating him like a child and the Autarch retorting that she would do so when he stopped acting like one.
The strained negotiations had served another purpose however, with both sides attempting to buy time for re-enforcements to arrive. The Tau's arrived first and sensing the advantage they finally opened fire on the Eldar defenders. Heavily entrenched within the ruins Eldar casualties were initially light but soon began to mount alarmingly as multiple Riptides converged on their positions.
Just as it seemed that the Tau would simply roll over the defences lithe Eldar grav tanks arrived to bolster their failing line, only to be brought crashing down by massed firepower that overwhelmed the baffling distortion of their holofields.
Despite the scale of the carnage the time the Eldar had bought with their blood allowed the full weight of their re-enforcements to enter the fight. Aspect warriors bounded from ruin to ruin and engaged the Tau in point blank firefights. One by one the Riptides came crashing down, the Eldar's weaponry unerringly striking critical components and exposed armour joints. A vision of rage and destruction, Autarch Eärandil lead the counter attack, decapitating a Riptide with her shard of Anaris and storming the tomb entrance before dispatching the Tau's commander in single combat. With their commanders dead and their heavy suites destroyed the remaining fire warriors surrendered.
Furious at the death and destruction wrought upon her command Autarch Eärandil gave the order to kill the remaining Tau as an example to their kin of the price of stupidity but Farseer Tarquil urged her to take a more noble path and with great patience and diplomacy managed to calm her enough to let the survivors return to their fleet – although without their weaponry, armour and equipment.
Despite the mercy granted Tarquil was no less furious at the events on Vespae, although his wrath burned colder than the Autarchs. A message was sent to the Alliance council warning them in stark terms that the Vespae system was forbidden and that any further trespass would be met with the harshest of consequences.
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