Unity (Short Story)
 | |
| Author | James Gilmer |
| Publisher | Black Library |
| Collected in | Fear the Alien |
Cover Description
The warriors of the tau empire fight for a greater good, an ideal of unity and something greater. When the forces of the Imperium bring the wrath of the God-Emperor to this collection of heathen alien races, they discover that the tau forces are stronger than their the sum of their disparate parts. Can the Space Marines and Imperial Guard find unity and defeat the xenos menace?
Synopsis
On the planet of Coruna, the 3rd Tantulas Regiment has been brought in to defend the planet from the Tau along with elements of the Raven Guard Space Marines. The Tau however break the Imperial forces in a battle around a communications post, forcing a retreat. Tam, a Tantula sniper retreats and links up with Gesar of the Raven Guard. The two of them retreat through a forest finding blood stained battle sites but no Imperial bodies, which makes them uneasy. The two of them eventually come to a field where they must cross in the open to reach a collection of farm outbuildings. Upon entering one they find it to be a refrigerated slaughter house hung with Tantula bodies. Tam and Gesar soon discover that the Coruna Imperial Guard have defected to the Tau and have given the Kroot Mercenaries the bodies of the Tantula as they have good eyesight and an adaption to high gravity due to their homeworld. The Kroot plan to harvest their flesh, upgrading their bodies through “Unity”. Tam and Gesar fight out an ambush set for them, however Gesar is struck in the neck and knocked unconscious, leaving Tam to try and destroy their bodies with a frag grenade, at which he fails and is thus consumed by the Kroot.
Setting
The planet of Coruna, under siege be the Tau.
Characters
- Tam - Tanutala sniper.
- Gesar - Raven Guard Space Marine
