Skitarri use their sophisticated weaponry against the Necron menace. Despite their valiant efforts, however, the Skitarri have been unable to stem the xeno invasion.

“For the alien, nothing.”—Motto of the Legio Victorum

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Imperial Voxcast (092 743.M41)— The Forge World of Helios has formally requested assistance from the Adeptus Militarum and Imperial Navy as it seeks to defend the mining world of Myopolis from Necron invaders.

This news comes as a surprise, given that Imperial authorities recently reported that there had been no major conflicts with the Necrons in the past year.

That report clearly was misleading. In fact, the desert world of Myopolis is engaged in a major war for its very survival.

“For its own reasons, the Adeptus Mechanicus requested we withhold information about the fighting on Myopolis, which by the M38 Treaty of Coherence falls under the jurisdiction of the forge world,” “said Captain Jamol Wythe, public liaison for the Imperial Navy at the Nguyen Naval Base above Belliose III.

According to Imperial authorities, the last official report on Myoplis was released nearly three years ago and stated that the Mechanicus was “holding the line” against the xenos. No explanation was offered as to why Forge World Helios would suppress later reports.

What is now known, however, is that the Necrons have been advancing slowly but steadily across the planet, despite an immense reinforcement of the Planetary Defense Force (PDF) with nearly a dozen macroclades of Skitarri.

“Although the Fabricator General of Helios has not provided exact figures, we estimate that anywhere from 2 million to 4 million Skitarii currently are fighting on Myopolis,” Wythe said.

High Casualties

Other sources, which insisted on anonymity, said that Skitarri casualties have been immense and, only by a continuous flow of reinforcements, has Myopolis managed to slow the xeno advance.

A barren but mineral-rich world, Myopolis is an essential component of the manufacturing system of Helios. The first news of the invasion was in 738.M41, when news accounts suggested the Necrons had invaded the world.

This version of events was later amended after planetary officials reported that the Necrons appeared after a mining site communicated the finding of strange xeno ruins—and then all communications with the site stopped. A later review of sensor data also revealed that no unidentified spacecraft had approached the planet in the weeks before or after this initial xeno attack.

In the first months of the war, Imperial authorities reported that the xenos appeared strangely disorganized and their tactical responses were slow. Although the xenos became more effective over the next two years, local PDF troops were able to contain the threat.

Over time, however, the Necrons began an aggressive series of attacks that massive Skitarii reinforcements could not contain, and several minor mining operations have fallen.

The mysterious Necrons–cybernetic xenos–fighting in a shanty town outside Mining Site 312 on the world of Myopolis. This pict was taken by a Skitarii Alpha just before he was killed by enemy fire.

A planet’s value

The threat level of the Necrons has increased significantly in recent months, particularly after the xenos began concentrating their attacks in the direction of one of the most strategically important mines in the galaxy—Site 719—where an exceedingly rare and highly treasured mineral is excavated: auramite.

Auramite is the strongest and most durable material that humanity can process into an alloy. Its resilience to weapons is so potent that its use is limited to the golden armor of the Adeptus Custodes and, legend suggests, was used for the holy armor of the God-Emperor himself.

For Imperial authorities, news of the strategic significance of Myopolis was a complete surprise, one official said. “My guess is that the Mechanicus believed, if they kept the auramite deposits a secret, the largely barren planet would barely register in the minds of the Imperium’s enemies.”

Finally learning the true value of the planet—now that several sectors have been stripped of troops for the Damocles Gulf Crusade—Imperial authorities now must answer the question of how to protect Myopolis.

Skitarii attempt to hold back an advancing Necron column on Myopolis.

Choosing priorities

“Great care is given to distributing Imperial resources,” Wythe said at a recent press conference. “The major governmental entities of Ultima Segmentum agreed that a crusade against the Tau was a high priority, and significant resources were devoted to that military campaign.”

That said, he added, the Imperial response to the war on Myopolis must now be reassessed.  “We are going to have to find some troops to divert there.”

Some officials in the Administratum put blame on the Mechanicus for suppressing information on Myopolis.

“How could they keep other Imperial officials in the dark?” said one official who insisted on anonymity. “Their armies are vat-grown. If their Skitarii casualties exceed their ability to produce sufficient troops, then how do they expect us to find Imperial Guardsmen that take 18 to 20 years to replace?”

Imperial authorities already are looking at other war zones where the Imperium has stabilized the military threat, and troops could even be withdrawn from military campaigns where victory is not guaranteed—such as Dar Sai, Dozaria, and the  Dryillian Quarantine Zone.

“Of course, taking troops from these areas could weaken their defenses,” Wythe acknowledged. “But some worlds are more valuable than others.”

+ End Broadcast +

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