Blades of Damocles

by Phil Kelly

  Everything before it, from the microscopic to the gigantic, was perceived the same way.

  As prey.

  Farsight ran headlong down the wide oval corridor, calling up the cadre-net on his headset as he went. Startled earth caste functionaries stumbled back as he barged past, their postures first of protocolic shock, and then, when they realised who it was shouldering his way through the throng, of contrite deference. On towards the Orca hangars he went, constantly barking orders to his sub-commanders and bringing aerial assets into place.

  Two tall, wide-shouldered tau in the robes of the ethereal guard stepped into the corridor. When they crossed their ritual duelling halberds together to bar his path, Farsight knew that something was very wrong. A pair of air caste pilots hurried past them, making the sign of unavoidable contrition with their steepled fingers. Farsight used the momentary obstruction to brush his communion bead open with the back of his hand as he made a gesture of greeting. Tau of all castes were stopping their business along the corridor, gathering in a loose circle to witness the spectacle.

  ‘Commander O’Shovah,’ said the eldest of the two ethereal guard, his polite smile wrinkling the folds at the corner of his eyes. ‘It is an honour to meet you in person. I am Shas’tral Fue’larrakan, and this is Shas’tral Oa’manita. We are to escort you to the audience sphere of Dal’yth’s Subterranean Hypercomplex, where you will answer to the esteemed ethereals Aun’Tipiya, Guardian of New Horizons, and Aun’Tefan, Bringer of Fresh Truths.’

  ‘We will accompany you only as an honour guard, of course,’ added Shas’tral Oa’manita. Farsight fought back a frown; their crossed halberds conveyed quite another message.

  ‘You do not understand, esteemed ones,’ replied Farsight, his fists unconsciously bunching. ‘I am honoured by this audience. But it is imperative we reinforce Ath’adra immediately. Other masters are in danger.’

  ‘It is you who lacks understanding,’ said the ethereal guard. ‘Leave the safety of the ethereal caste to those charged with it, commander, and be content. We are fully appraised of the situation upon Dal’yth. You will accompany us immediately. If you do not comply, we will be forced to act in a fashion that results in your personal detriment.’

  ‘Very well,’ said Farsight, his shoulders stiffening. ‘Lead on.’ Rubbing his upper lip, he subtly closed his communion bead to the commander level cadre-net. Hopefully his allies had already heard enough.

  He forced his anger down, a tight ball of fury in his throat, and mentally prepared for the worst.

  Farsight sat buckled into the rear of the Orca New Unity, fighting to keep his calm as it hummed through the skies of Dal’yth. The safety harness he wore felt as if it was tight upon his chest, the restraints of a captive rather than the precautions taken to protect an honoured guest. Ahead, the two ethereal guards that formed his escort sat with their ceremonial halberds close at hand, both looking vaguely in Farsight’s direction whilst studiously avoiding eye contact. The atmosphere was tense, and he felt naked and vulnerable without his battlesuit.

  ‘You do not understand the gravity of the situation,’ said Farsight. ‘There are elements of the gue’ron’sha invasion force that have escaped the Gel’bryn perimeter. Even now they are heading for Ath’adra. Their intent is to slay our high command, I am sure of it.’

  The ethereal guards remained as silent as ever, their faces impassive.

  ‘You sit in judgement, so sure of yourselves,’ continued O’Shovah, ‘so sure of your duty, and the righteousness of your actions. Yet you are failing. With every dec that slides past, you fail the ethereal caste all the more.’

  That got a reaction. Shas’tral Oa’manita’s face soured as he turned to face Farsight full on.

  ‘Perhaps it is you who have failed, Commander Farsight. Ask yourself this. Would you be escorted to answer for your conduct if you had acted as the Greater Good required?’

  ‘I cannot believe this,’ said O’Shovah. ‘The ethereals at Ath’adra are in great danger. You talk of the Tau’va, but their survival is of utmost importance to it. You of all people should appreciate that. Should they die, my cadres and I will not be held responsible.’

  ‘We have already contacted the cadre-net,’ said Shas’tral Fue’larrakan, his soft voice seeming incongruous given his tall warrior’s physique. ‘The matter of the gue’ron’sha strike force to which you refer has been brought to the attention of Commander Shadowsun. Our ethereal majesties therefore consider it taken care of. Instead of focusing on events beyond your own sphere of influence,’ at this the ethereal guards shared a quick glance, ‘perhaps you should refocus your energies on your current predicament.’

  Farsight’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more on the subject. He had a strong suspicion there had been formal allegations of incompetence made against him – incompetence, or worse. O’Vesa’s words were still fresh in his mind. What other reason was there for him being called to attend the celestial masters under the direct supervision of an ethereal honour guard?

  There were those in the fire caste who would see him torn down, stripped of his rank and influence. By leaving his comms channel open when the ethereal guard had first come for him, he had ensured there was at least a chance he had supporters at the hearing as well as detractors. Even without them he could argue his case strongly enough. Within a few rotaa, he told himself, he would be back in the fray, leading the fire caste of Dal’yth to a glorious and lasting victory over the overconfident, bullish humans.

  Fue’larrakan met his gaze, just for the briefest of seconds. There was nothing there but disappointment.

  Farsight sat back in the shadows, hands folded in his lap, and waited. He was outwardly calm, an expression of utmost serenity upon his features.

  His heart was racing so hard it felt like it might burst.

  Farsight closed his eyes, just for a moment. How had it come to this?

  After the Orca New Unity had touched down, the commander had been led through the tall oval doors of the Gel’bryn Subterranean Hypercomplex, each portal silently opening as he and the ethereal guard approached it. There he had been shown to the vast underground sprawl that lay halfway between Gel’bryn Central and Via’mesh’la, where his escort had doubled in size. Two cadre fireblades had walked with him and the ethereal guards, the gathering somewhere between an honour escort and a prison detail.

  As they passed the hypercomplex’s med facility, a hover-slab bearing the blackened corpse of a tau warrior was guided along the corridor towards them by two expressionless earth caste orderlies. One made the sign of the Tau’va as Farsight’s delegation walked past. Farsight absently returned the sign, only to notice the warrior lying on the slab was somehow still alive. A withered black wreck with much of his badly-burned flesh coated in antiseptic gel, he was reaching out and gesturing frantically.

  ‘A moment,’ said Farsight. ‘This one has something important to say.’

  The ethereal guard looked at one another for a moment. To their credit, they stopped, turning to watch O’Shovah with halberds held ready.

  ‘A microdec, no more,’ said Shas’tral Oa’manita.

  Farsight glanced at the data readout on the hover slab. This one would die soon. ‘What is it, comrade?’ he said. ‘How can I help?’

  His blood froze in his veins. The grotesque wreck of a tau on the slab was listed as Commander Bravestorm.

  ‘I… hav hhailed gyou…’ said Bravestorm, lidless eyes bulging horribly as he struggled to form words with his black slit of a mouth, ‘O’hheysa… Glackhunder Gneesa…’

  Farsight turned in puzzlement to one of the earth caste orderlies. ‘What is he saying, fio’la? What happened to him?’

  ‘The commander was recovered at Blackthunder Mesa,’ replied the orderly. ‘He and his shas’vres were field-testing prototypes supplied by the Stone Dragon.’

  ‘Coded designation “Onager gauntlet
”,’ said the other orderly.

  ‘Anti-armour devices,’ continued the first, ‘used upon a massed gue’la armoured company. Bravestorm and his team closed with the super-heavy assets guarding the artillery. They physically tore out their power cores. Twenty-six bombard tanks were destroyed before the Imperials sent walker engines to retaliate.’

  ‘The macro-class walkers,’ the second orderly said, his tone almost reverent.

  ‘In doing so, the commander and his team saved the youth cadres at the training centres of Dal’ryu from being buried alive. He is well-named, it seems.’

  Bravestorm waved a hook of fused bone at Farsight, his body shuddering with the effort of communicating.

  ‘Gney chhired… gney chhired ong gneir owng!’

  Farsight needed no translation this time. To wreak this vengeance, the Imperial walkers had committed the worst of crimes. They had fired on their own side.

  Was there no act too barbaric for these creatures to commit in the name of victory?

  ‘We must leave,’ said Shas’tral Oa’manita. ‘The ethereals must not be kept waiting.’

  ‘You served the fire caste long and well, my friend,’ said Farsight, taking Bravestorm’s gel-slicked claw in the cupped hands of utmost respect. ‘Now rest and be at peace.’

  He turned to the earth caste workers once more. ‘Do everything you can to save him. Ensure he wants for nothing.’

  ‘Of course,’ said the workers in unison.

  ‘We leave,’ said Shas’tral Fue’larrakan fiercely as he stepped forward. ‘This instant.’

  Farsight made the sign of peace-well-earned, meeting Bravestorm’s gaze before turning away and following the ethereal guard deeper into the complex.

  There had been no fear in the crippled commander’s eyes. Only a burning need for vengeance.

  Commander Farsight’s honour guard reached a spherical audience chamber large enough to seat two thousand tau. Around the lower half were ranged row upon row of high-backed delegation thrones, and in the middle, a raised dais where speakers took it in turns to address those gathered.

  Right now, that dais was occupied by Por’o Dal’yth Mesme, a tall water caste ambassador trying his hardest not to look pleased with himself. He was staring up at an empty section of the chamber, adoration writ upon his features.

  Farsight looked up as a circular door at the top of the sphere irised open. A quartet of advanced shield drones drifted out, forming a crackling repulsor field between them. Then came a hover throne, elaborate yet graceful.

  Seated atop the disc-like device was a slender, elderly ethereal. Farsight’s breath caught in his throat as he realised whom it was he was looking at.

  ‘Here to illuminate us is our most gracious leader,’ said the water caste speaker. ‘Scholar of the Undying Spirit, Speaker of Great Truths, and Shining Light – the Ethereal Master Aun’Va.’

  The audience stood as one, their backs ramrod straight and their eyes fixed on the legend in their midst. Farsight managed to tear his gaze away, just for a moment, to look around. Every tau looked shocked to their core, some delighted, some awestruck. The only exceptions were the water caste ambassador and the two female ethereals hovering high on repulsor belts in the innermost ring of the sphere. Aun’Va was here on Dal’yth; he was a numinous being second only in purity to the Ethereal Supreme himself, Aun’Wei. For him to come to the planet without the usual ceremony, to arrive without the usual joyful water caste broadcasts, was unprecedented.

  ‘Do not fear,’ said the Ethereal Master as he descended on a glowing repulsor field that lit his serene features from below. Even the sound of his voice was like cool healing gel applied to the heated minds of every tau present. ‘This audience chamber is as I wish it to be.’

  Those in the audience sphere felt relief flood through them, instantly content that all was well.

  ‘I am here on Dal’yth to lead through you, my most trusted aides,’ said Aun’Va. His hover throne lowered him to just above the two female ethereals, one on either flank. ‘I intend to monitor the gue’la first hand. They are a fascinating species and I feel it is high time I took their measure.’

  Many of the gathered tau murmured in quiet appreciation.

  ‘Aun’Tipiya, Aun’Tefan, proceed,’ said Aun’Va, motioning to the ethereals below. The two celestial dignitaries drifted forward, both making the sign of the Tau’va with their delicate fingers. One was slightly taller and a few tau’cyr older than the other, but the aura of tranquillity they shared was identical.

  ‘The Ethereal Master has grave concerns,’ said the elder, Aun’Tipiya.

  ‘Commander Farsight,’ said the younger ethereal, Aun’Tefan. ‘As overall commander of Dal’yth’s defence, you stand accused of allowing alien invaders to establish a significant presence upon a primary sept world.’

  Farsight felt an electric jolt of shame run through him. To have such an accusation levelled upon him, especially in the presence of the Ethereal Master Aun’Va, was nigh unbearable.

  A pair of elaborator drones slid smoothly from the dais in the centre of the chamber, projecting a three-dimensional hologram into the heart of the audience sphere.

  ‘The gue’la attack has penetrated sept space to an unforgivable extent,’ continued Aun’Tefan, raising a data wand to slide through three-dimensional tableaus of the wider Dal’yth space lanes. Huge cathedral ships wallowed in the murk of outer space, giant armoured whales that made the swift tau craft firing at their flanks look like minnows by comparison. ‘The kor’vattra have sent fleets from the other septs, but it will be some rotaa before they arrive. For this, the admirals of the air caste are being called to account in their turn.’

  ‘Yet here, before the guidance of the Ethereal Master,’ said Aun’Tipiya, her fingers entwining in her twin scalplocks, ‘we shall discuss the conduct of the fire caste.’

  Aun’Tipiya’s data wand scrolled the hologram projections through scenes of utter carnage, the bulky forms of Imperial Space Marines fighting through the firestorms of their own creation. ‘The war effort upon Dal’yth does not progress as required by the Tau’va, nor is a resolution in sight.’

  The audience shifted uneasily in their concave seats. Farsight risked a quick look around. He spotted Commander Sha’vastos there amongst them, wearing his usual formal regalia, and O’Vesa, representing the earth caste as part of the elemental council. He was reassured somewhat by their presence. At least some of the faces amongst the audience were friendly.

  Then Farsight saw who was seated across from them, and his spirits dropped. Tutor Sha’kan’thas, his pinched face as bitter as a rotting lemon.

  ‘The gue’la attack is pugnacious and blunt, but effective,’ said Aun’Tipiya. ‘Gel’bryn itself, though initially cleared, has been the target of renewed attack. A concentrated strike from the drop craft utilised across the planet saw the fire caste withdraw in order to conserve resources. Within the last rotaa, the city has been officially declared fallen.’

  The vivid hologram projected by the elaborator drones showed footage of white-armoured gue’la bikers engaged in a running battle with a Pathfinder cadre escorting a speeding transmotive. Their wheeled machines were earthbound – laughably simple in their design – though the skill with which their riders leaped, skidded and slid through the rubble of the city outskirts was admittedly impressive. Their sheer bulk and brutish design allowed them to shrug off much of the pulse fire that the Pathfinder cadre’s transports sent winging into them. Farsight grimaced as the careening transmotive was hit hard by potent energy weapons from a group of three-wheeled bikes, the resultant explosion sending it slewing from the maglev track in a spray of molten metal gobbets.

  A full half of the gue’ron’sha bikers were shot down with cold efficiency as a battlesuit group descended to counter-attack from above, and the Pathfinders used the fallen transmotive to anchor their flank as they j
oined the counter-attack. For a moment, it seemed the tau might snatch victory, but once the other half of the white-armoured riders engaged their enemies at close quarters, they cut down fire warrior and battlesuit alike. None were left alive.

  Aun’Tefan continued, her tone sombre. ‘Four other major cities have since been cut off – Dal’ryu, Via’mesh’la, Mel’vanlui and Var’isar. They have also been declared lost.’

  ‘With the greatest and most profound respect,’ said Commander Sha’vastos, standing with his hands crossed over his heart in the gesture of indulgence implored, ‘the war is still in its opening phases. Commander Farsight has won great gains against the Imperial attack, and overcome them in person on many separate occasions. Just as with his victories upon Arkunasha, I feel sure he is finding the measure of our enemies in order to inflict lasting defeat.’

  ‘Thank you, Commander,’ said Aun’Tipiya. Her tone did not convey gratitude, and neither did her expression. The old veteran sat down quickly, colour draining from his face. ‘We do not lightly condemn those who risk their lives for the Greater Good,’ she continued, ‘but this is not Arkunasha. This is a core sept world, with two hundred times the population density of that desert planet. In a matter of a few nights, a fifth of that population has been lost.’

  Farsight hung his head.

  ‘You have to understand our position, Commander Sha’vastos,’ she continued. ‘The Arkunasha War was a great victory, but it was won over the course of thirteen tau’cyr. A whole generation of fire warriors, yet to be born at the war’s beginning, fought at its conclusion. It was a far-flung colony, and the enemies we faced there had no spacecraft, no naval presence whatsoever.’

  The ethereal gestured to the hologram of Dal’yth Sept’s beleagured space lanes before continuing.