Savior's Sanctuary.
Eden adjusted himself into a comfortable position on the bed, continuing to review and recall everything he knew about the T'au.
There wasn't a trace of concern on his face.
Had it been Necrons, Tyranids, Orks, or Aeldari invading, he might have been worried — issuing full alert orders across his territory and even enacting new war decrees.
But this time, the invaders were the T'au Empire.
And the T'au... they weren't anything to worry about.
The T'au Empire was still a minor player within the galaxy — a barely significant force with roughly three hundred habitable planets and a few dozen smaller colonies and outposts.
Their scale wasn't even remotely comparable to the Imperium of Man — in fact, Eden's own Savior territories were larger than the T'au Empire.
Truthfully, Eden didn't harbor much hatred for the T'au.
Compared to the nightmarish, hellspawned chaos across the galaxy, the T'au Empire was like an innocent little daisy.
Their rise was largely thanks to dumb luck.
Ten thousand years ago—
The Imperium of Man, under the guidance of the great Emperor, launched the Great Crusade, paying visits to every xeno neighbor in the galaxy — delivering lovingly packaged gifts of bolter shells, las-fire, and cyclone torpedoes.
It had to be done.
Humanity was fragile. Xenos were monstrous, treacherous, and terrifying.
Which meant mankind had come to hate them.
And so, for survival, humanity — led by the Emperor — purged entire xenos species across the galaxy in mass extinction events.
The fleets of the Great Crusade cut all the way to the galactic eastern fringe.
There, humanity discovered a tribe of blue-skinned primitives who had just learned how to light fires with flint and build tools from wood. They lived a pastoral, idyllic life.
Totally unaware of the horrors of the galaxy.
The T'au were naturally devoid of psychic potential, almost completely insulated from the Warp. Their souls were nearly invisible to the Immaterium and highly resistant to Chaos.
Which meant they were spared the horrors that plagued other races.
But to the Imperium, a xeno was a xeno. Even if they were still primitive, they could someday rise and pose a threat to mankind.
Such things had happened before.
The Aeldari had once ruled the galaxy in a golden age — the masters of the stars — and during their peak of hedonistic excess, humanity was still a bunch of naked monkeys on Old Terra.
But in mere tens of thousands of years, mankind rose to dominance. The Aeldari danced too hard and lost everything, and were forced to wander.
To the Imperium, the competition among galactic species was a brutal, no-mercy struggle. Every xeno could be the next existential threat.
It was best to kill them at the root.
So, the Crusade fleets gave the order to purge the T'au homeworld and clear the way for human colonization.
But as the fleet arrived, a sudden Warp storm engulfed the star system — sealing off the T'au homeworld, making any approach or attack impossible.
With no choice, the Crusade forces abandoned the purge, logged the encounter, and withdrew.
The area was marked as a "Chaos-Occupied Zone."
For various reasons, the T'au purge plan was postponed indefinitely. Then came rebellions, the Age of Apostasy, and the T'au records all but vanished into obscurity.
And so, the T'au survived — growing rapidly over the following millennia, their technology advancing by leaps and bounds.
Even better, the surrounding regions had already been purged by human fleets — leaving the T'au with no hostile neighbors during their formative years.
They came to dominate their region.
Now, the T'au Empire is a highly advanced civilization led by the Ethereals and guided by their philosophy — the Greater Good.
They strive to include other species into their fold.
And to develop together.
Their ideology is simple: the needs of the collective outweigh those of the individual.
Followers of the Greater Good dedicate themselves to this belief — working tirelessly, fighting bravely, and even giving their lives to achieve it.
Under its guidance, even the smallest act that benefits the group is honored and praised.
While those few arrogant, selfish individuals who threaten the collective are shamed and rejected.
With such ideology, T'au cities are orderly and clean — dotted with sculptures, parks, and energy-shielded domes to protect citizens from hostile environments and xeno attacks.
Almost all T'au adhere to the Greater Good.
They dream of sharing their ideals with all intelligent life — even backward or savage species.
They believe the Greater Good can unite all civilizations.
And so, expansion is their sacred mission.
The T'au never stopped expanding. They colonized relentlessly, and whenever they found a new alien civilization—
They would first send diplomats to negotiate and share the benefits of the Greater Good and the glory of the T'au Empire.
If the aliens accepted, the T'au would immediately start colonizing — distributing supplies and tech, assigning new labor duties, integrating them into the Greater Good.
But not every species accepted.
To those stubborn, ignorant, resistant, and backward xenos, the T'au deployed overwhelming firepower.
They didn't shy from violence — it was simply another tool to spread their ideology.
Still, compared to most galactic powers, they were relatively civilized. They didn't revel in wanton destruction — they showed mercy to conquered worlds, preserving resources and populations for use.
In the T'au's eyes, it was the strong's duty to offer mercy — to guide the shortsighted and offer them redemption.
So, captives were reeducated, destroyed cities rebuilt.
Turned into forward bases for the T'au Empire.
And so the T'au expanded.
Their biggest crisis?
The Imperium of Man.
In 742.M41, the Imperium launched a reconquest to reclaim Warp-isolated territories — and discovered that many worlds in the Damocles Gulf had defected to a race called the T'au.
Outrage followed.
Such treachery was intolerable — the Imperium launched a full assault.
Initially, things went well — T'au fleets were crushed, and the Crusade advanced.
Until five months later, when they reached the T'au homeworlds—
And underestimated their enemy.
Heavy losses followed. Infuriated, the Imperium escalated the war, sending vast reinforcements and battleships to annihilate the T'au.
The T'au knew nothing of it. They readied their fleets.
But before the strike could come, the Tyranids invaded the galaxy — ravaging Imperial worlds.
The Crusade was recalled.
To the T'au, the Imperium had tasted defeat and fled, terrified of their might.
Thus, they believed they'd bested the mighty Imperium.
And their confidence soared.
They believed the Greater Good had secured them a rightful place among the stars.
After centuries of growth, the T'au now had more powerful weapons.
And they began a new wave of expansion — to spread the Greater Good across the galaxy.
To become its rulers.
"Sigh…"
Eden compared all this and muttered, "The T'au may not be that strong… but damn, they're civilized. Compared to them, the Imperium really does look like a bunch of savages…"
Of course, that was comparing them to the Imperium.
His own Savior Domain was far more civilized — and in some ways, not too different from the T'au.
His people may not chant the Greater Good—
But they did believe in collective service to the Savior: working, fighting, and even dying for him.
And unlike the T'au, every contribution earned protection and reward.
But this applied only to humans.
The more Eden thought about it—
The T'au were essentially the xeno version of his Savior Domain. Their functions even overlapped. And now, their borders were near each other.
It was almost certain they would clash.
With their newfound confidence, the T'au would eventually leave their starter zone and approach his territory — perhaps requesting his planets join the Greater Good.
Friction was inevitable.
"I hope it doesn't lead to war…"
Eden furrowed his brow.
He didn't hate the T'au — they were civilized, and too small to pose a real threat.
His domain had no appetite for war with a rational xeno race. There was no reason to spark conflict.
Besides, his own territory had xeno auxiliaries. The Ecclesiarchy was eager to spread the Savior's gospel to aliens as well.
What made this possible was Eden's divine presence — his faith binding even xenos to him, suppressing any rebellion.
The galaxy was growing ever more dangerous — ordinary citizens might not feel it, but human worlds were in agony.
Look at what happened in Charalton.
Humanity was nearing its end times.
Anything that could strengthen them had to be seized — they had to survive before worrying about xeno purity.
Still.
Humans would remain the core.
They would not cohabitate with xenos — potential threats must be minimized.
Eden considered his T'au strategy.
Truth be told, his territory had just finished a brutal war. It was rebuilding time — vast lands needed development.
The Interior Ministry had marked Charalton as a core region — not a vassal — meaning reconstruction would follow high standards: psychic networks, holy towers, infrastructure, education, agriculture, and more.
So long as the T'au didn't mess with him—
He'd let them be.
He had no desire for another war.
After some thought, Eden sent directives to the Interior Ministry.
They were to establish contact with the T'au, explore diplomacy and trade, and avoid war unless provoked.
With that handled—
He turned to review documents on Charalton's massive reconstruction project and scheduled his upcoming travels.
Though most governance was handled by Bayev and others—
He still needed to show up publicly to reinforce faith.
Soon, his calendar filled with new visits.
One entry stood out.
The designated pilot world for Charalton's reconstruction: Oms — a planet devastated beyond measure.
Its recovery would be the blueprint for hundreds of other civilized worlds.
Leaders from across the region would visit, observe, and learn.
They would absorb the Savior's teachings and report their needs and struggles.
And the changes on this world would echo across Charalton — showing the people what blessings came from following the Savior.
After finishing his work, Eden put away his tablet and pulled a blanket over his stomach.
Even though his physique could survive subzero weather—
Some habits from his genes remained.
No matter how hot it was, you had to cover your stomach — air conditioning or not, even if there was no blanket, you'd put your hand on your belly.
For health.
The environmental simulation continued to hum.
As the wind rustled and insects chirped, Eden fell into a deep sleep— only to be pulled into yet another dream, where he held intimate and "diplomatic" talks with Slaanesh.
This time's dream plot:
The Savior stumbles into T'au space and is "physically interrogated" by a legion of beautiful T'au women using terrifying devices and seduction.
"Hsss…"
Half-asleep, Eden muttered:
"Damn you, Slaanesh… really hitting the theme tonight?"
...
Eastern Galactic Fringe.
Planet Karo — a human world.
Inside the royal hall—
Banners fluttered between giant stained-glass windows, and Seraphim murals covered the ceiling — most wielding swords or clutching locked tomes of truth.
The planetary governor sat on the throne, flanked by guards in full regalia.
He tapped his staff gently and asked the captain:
"In the name of the Emperor, who approaches?"
The guard captain answered solemnly:
"The Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty."
"And what is their purpose?"
"With your permission, I present the T'au Empire's diplomatic envoy…"
They followed the planet's ancient ceremony and rites to the letter.
In the central hall, the T'au envoy — led by Water Caste diplomat Shadowstream — watched the spectacle with faint amusement.
In her younger years, such formalities would have irritated her.
But now she understood — letting the ignorant cling to their outdated rituals made assimilation easier.
"Humans truly are an ignorant, barbaric species…"
Shadowstream sighed inwardly. "Their political systems are so outdated and corrupt. I don't know how they even made it this far…"
Still — they were lucky.
They had the Greater Good.
Suddenly, the chamberlain's voice echoed with authority:
"You may approach."
Shadowstream stepped forward with poise and elegance — her white robe was simple, yet refined, and clearly of superior fabric.
More importantly, she wore the noblest adornment of all—
The Greater Good.
She bowed deeply.
"Your most esteemed—"
"Speak not without permission," the Governor interrupted coldly.
Shadowstream held her tongue.
The chamberlain continued, introducing her:
"This is Shadowstream of the T'au. With her are Kho'cha, a Kroot warrior, and Laiswin, a human assistant."
It was the standard T'au envoy configuration: a Water Caste, a Kroot, and a native species liaison — if one could be found.
It showed their ideal of interracial harmony.
Once introductions were complete, the Governor raised his scepter.
"You may speak once questioned."
Shadowstream nodded.
Finally, the Governor looked down.
"Why have you come?"
"To offer you an opportunity," Shadowstream said gently.
"An opportunity that many humans have embraced with joy — to join the Greater Good. It has brought hope and ended suffering…"
"Hmph!"
The Governor's tone darkened. "You mean surrendering humanity to alien rule?"
"Your Excellency," said Laiswin, stepping forward.
He was respectful, but the arrogance in his voice couldn't be missed:
"This isn't conquest — it's unity. The T'au welcome all into their civilization. My homeworld flourished under them. We escaped poverty and now enjoy peace."
There was zeal in his voice:
"It is a higher civilization. You can't imagine how advanced the T'au are. Even their air—"
"Enough!"
The Governor cut him off, glaring.
"You abandoned the Emperor for xenos. Are you even human?"
"I am!" Laiswin protested, baring his arm — it bore the Aquila and a wrapped Imperial cross.
"I've never renounced my humanity—"
(Though his belief in the Emperor had faded long ago — the symbols were just for show.)
Shadowstream spoke:
"As you can see, we don't demand anyone forsake their faith. Laiswin joined because he saw hope in the Greater Good."
"Yes, we became prosperous and happy," Laiswin added. "Join us, Excellency. It is the path forward. With T'au military protection, this world can have lasting peace—"
"Traitor!" the Governor roared.
"You sold out humanity and our loyalty to the Emperor for safety. Disgusting!"
With fury, he smashed his gemmed staff:
"The so-called Greater Good — all lies! You're just selling humanity's future to aliens!"
"If peace means being xeno lapdogs—then we don't want peace!"
"Mind your words," Laiswin warned. "You know the T'au's power—"
"They've defeated Orks, Tyranids, even heretics—"
"And the Kroot," he gestured to Kho'cha, "are unstoppable hunters!"
"And you're just their dog," the Governor spat. "Do you know what happened here?"
"Aliens once enslaved my ancestors. Turned them into cattle. It took centuries of bloodshed to win back this land."
"And now you dare ask us to hand it back to xenos?"
"We will never surrender humanity!"
Everyone turned cold toward the T'au.
Laiswin scoffed — fools. They'd kneel under T'au fire soon enough.
He looked to Shadowstream.
She sighed. Negotiations were over.
This governor's family had suffered too much. His hatred ran deep.
And his disdain for the Greater Good made her lose all patience.
Only fire would bring him to heel.
She nodded.
Laiswin stepped forward:
"Excellency, we offer you one last choice."
"Join the Glorious Greater Good—
—or be destroyed in fire."
The threat was real.
Should he refuse again, this world would burn beneath T'au plasma fire.
And yet the Governor stood firm.
"Sorry. I refuse to side with any alien."
If humanity surrendered at the first threat, they'd still be slaves and cattle.
They had fought too hard for freedom to give it up now.
If he bowed to xenos, his people would tear him apart.
Shadowstream sighed.
She bowed slightly:
"What a shame. You've missed a great opportunity. Perhaps the Fire Caste will help you change your mind…"
"Get out," the Governor growled.
She didn't get angry. Strong do not rage at the weak.
She turned, and left — sentencing him to death in her heart.
Silence returned to the hall.
The Governor slumped into his throne.
The situation was dire.
They had lost contact with the Imperium.
They stood alone.
But they still had faith.
He looked up, eyes blazing:
"Citizens! The aliens return after 300 years. What shall we do?!"
A roar answered:
"For humanity's freedom — fight to the death!"
The ancient battle cry of their ancestors.
The cry of rebellion.
The cry of defiance.
"For humanity's freedom… fight to the death…"
The Governor whispered.
And then he issued a war decree.
Every citizen of Karo rose.
They dug trenches, built walls, prepared to spill their blood—
—To the last drop, for their home.
Days later.
Royal Hall.
The Governor stood armored and ready, flanked by his honor guard.
His eyes betrayed deep worry.
The T'au were strong. Too strong.
No aid had come.
Maybe they would die for honor alone…
Suddenly, the chamberlain entered:
"Your Excellency, an envoy seeks audience!"
The Governor scowled.
"If it's the T'au, tell them to rot!"
The chamberlain smiled, excited:
"It's not them. They claim to be Savior's Envoys, sent by Primarch Eden himself — offering aid to any world in need…"
(End of Chapter)
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