"Honored Commander Ang'Rensa, the sensor array and orbiting drones have detected two deep-space targets. One has been identified as an Imperial ship. The other target's class and type are unknown, but they are moving in formation, so we assess that both vessels belong to the same faction."
An Earth Caste member studied the monitoring equipment before him, then called out his report to the Fire Caste commander nearby.
"Sir! A large number of small targets are incoming!"
Another Earth Caste member responsible for close-range monitoring shouted his report almost simultaneously.
Commander Ang'Rensa remained calm.
They had fought the Imperium of Man many times, and had defeated it many times as well.
Attacking the planet before them was merely a tactic to draw the Imperium's attention and weaken its forces on the main front.
But this small T'au fleet did not know that the planet's distress signal had been sent two weeks ago. The written requisition a Servitor had transcribed from it was still buried beneath dozens of stacks of paperwork on some clerk's desk at the Sector's Departmento Munitorum. With luck, it might be ready for submission in another week.
As for whether the Sector's Departmento Munitorum had any forces to spare for a relief mission, that was not a clerk's responsibility.
"Have our Air Caste brother pilots take their Barracuda fighters out to engage. We need to hold out for a while to draw in more enemies. All for the Greater Good."
Upon receiving the instruction, the Earth Caste brother immediately relayed the order through the communications system.
The T'au fleet immediately launched nearly a thousand fighters known as Barracudas.
These fighters were faster than the Imperium of Man's Marauder bombers, but slightly slower than Thunderbolt fighters. Their electronic systems, however, were highly advanced, often allowing them to acquire