I knew that something was going on here!

Revenge is sweet...

Wow. Wow wow wow. That....was quite a ride.

Honestly, these last few updates had me on the edge of my seat. I will admit that I felt emotional during it all. I can't believe that Jeth is dead! It all happened so fast! But he gave his life for his friends and I agree that he deserved a noble death at least. Now I'm worried about Kro'le! I'm guessing he bought it when Rayle got to him. Or maybe he managed to survive yet again! Now the team has bigger issues. The Past Walkers are still attempting something and this Inquisitor had already set his plans into motion. How can they hope to fight a psyker? There are only so many air-cars that they can throw at him!

All of the characters are really coming into their own as the story has developed. I am feeling an attachment to each one! I actually had something worrying me today, but reading this story helped me to push it out of my mind for awhile and now I feel like things are much more manageable. After all, it's not like I had to survive a massive explosion, an attack by Genestealer hybrid and the potential downfall of my entire Empire!

Keep up the great work!! And again I request any artists on this website to please draw these characters. That would be so awesome!

Wow Wolf! I'm glad my story of aliens and doom helped you out! Thank you for putting the call out- It'd be great if I could get anyone to put ink to my imaginings.

As I comb and modify little things and vocabulary, I noticed that this is really the end of 'Book 1' the stage has been set and now the true story can begin.

And I am sorry about Jeth. I really did want to keep him alive, but he was so godamned impetuous. Maybe I'll tell you guys how he lost his voice with a short story should things ever need a break in Empire.

wow. What a way to go We will miss you Jeth You big monotone machete wielding superstar. Someone had better buy and name a manta in his honour.

One heck of a ride you've got us on here Calmsword. Amazing work. You've set us up for something special with Empire, thats for sure

Now let us join hands brothers and pray for Kro'le's safety.

Chapter 8: Rift Space

one week in transit

Vel'ar opened his personal computer and waited for the processors to kick in. The lights in his room dimmed to compensate the brightness of the holo screen and for a moment Vel'ar was in shadow. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander through the revelations that Cerax had offered. When he opened his eyes he saw the woefully lacking message from his master, D'teylioc.

[Tight Beam Transmission]
Point of Origin: T'au Prime, Aun'ar'Tol
Sender: Aun'O T'au D'teylioc

Shas'El Vior'la, I have received news from the Cerax Prime Dome. I understand that you confronted an Agent of the Imperial Inquisition. We already know what he has done and it's damage will be incalculable. I am currently attending a meeting of the Council of the Highest to discuss this very incident. Inquisitors, like the vaunted Space Marine, hate so extremely that they will go to no ends to promote their fanaticism. The weak minded are eager to discover such people. I am diverting additional resources to find this man, and put an end to his activities.

Unofficially, the impact of Farsight's sudden disappearance has sent the Shas'O Assembly into a fit. They are leaderless and even the Aun'Ar'O, bless his service, cannot determine a clear successor. It appears that, for the time being, we will strike out along a path of danger without a bearing. I believe that the use of nautical terms is appropriate for what is the unknown other than a chaotic sea we, as a people, must navigate in this night.

Regarding Seko; High Shaper Shraq Vekr Krii of the Kroot Kindreds of Seko has been notified via our listening station above that world. He understands the nature of your visit and will, upon your arrival, adress you and your team concerning these Past Walkers. I will say this, the technology you showed me is unlike anything we have encountered and follows a non-linear course of development. Be cautious.

Have faith, Shas'El. Remember the Greater Good.

He closed the file. He had made no mention of Rayle's claims that D'teylioc and the Ethereal council knew of the Y'he more extensively than he, who had been charged with finding them, then they had provided.

Aun'O D'teylioc, if the Inquisitor was to be believed, had already known of the Y'he threat before this mission had been formed. If that was the case then the Ethereal Caste was hiding valuable information from high ranking Fire Caste generals and commanders. Before now, Vel'ar had not thought of the unusual nature of being authorized by an Sept Leader such as D'teylioc to coordinate an advanced mission like this. Perhaps he had thought that with the absence of Farsight he had excused it. Not any more.

In the barracks was a fully armed and independent team of Aun'qath warriors. The crew had no idea what was going on and, technically, this vessel didn't exist yet in the Fleet. For all intensive purposes, Vel'ar and his mission had no authority beyond what D'teylioc had told him.

Ve'lar surmised that his own appointment to this mission had been carefully considered due to his lack of connection with the rest of the Empires fighting forces.

"A vagabond leading phantoms." He mused, staring into the image as it formed his desktop. The last document he had been working on opened entitled; After Action Report-Cerax Incident.

It wouldn't matter. After all the information was compiled, the Inquisitor's filtration both into and out of the colony, his pay off of human dock workers who lead him under the city. The proliferation of arms amongst the terrorists and the EMP devices they used to knock out the drone defenses. All of it meant nothing.

Rayle's mont'ka had been not to ruin a backwater colony or even galvanize the humans who resisted integration. It was the images of Tau killing aliens as heavy handed as the Imperium it compared itself to. The message had hit the Por'Hui and replicated it's signal, through a slicer program, to every Messanger ship that received word from Cerax. It was a public relations disaster spreading across the eastern Septs. The Water Caste were beside themselves in trying to stop it.

Vel'ar knew that his only respite was that the Strident was in transit. No doubt the High Council would be scrambling to ensure diplomatic unity amongst the scattered human colonies and the Pact races. But that was not his mission.

The shadows of the Empire had been revealed to him, and yet his faith would hold. There had to be a reason for all of this. The Fire Caste had it's own secrets, horrors that it kept from the eyes of the Ethereal's and so it made sense that Aun'O D'teylioc would have his own. He needed guidance.

No. He needed to ensure this ship was ready. He knew the enemy now and knew that beings made strategy to bring ruin to his people. Everything else could wait. He downloaded the pertinent files and sent briefing information to Sia't.

*

Pavol hovered through his ship. It was not common for him to leave the comfort of the Chair when the Strident was in transit and his crew were tense as they watched him. He had seen the vid-captures from all over the city. Human terrorists killing everything. Guilt troubled him. Had he and his ship been able to they could have crushed the attack with air support.

Turning the corner, he almost collided with Vel'ar. The Shas'El was in battle armor, save for his helmet, and he looked like he was getting ready to wrestle a t'pel shark.

"Good evening, Shas'El."

"Shipmaster, greetings."

"Can you not sleep?"

"Can you?"

The two leaders laughed. Pavol extended a hand and Vel'ar took it.

"I go to ready my team. Would you walk, um, would you-" Pavol shook his head and dialed down the anti-grav field of his armature.

"It would be my honor to walk with you, Vel'ar."

Vel'ar smiled and the continued in his original direction. Pavol had only a hint of a limp, his lift hoof dragging slightly behind. Reaching a landing that would lead to the mid-deck, Vel'ar stopped a moment on the guise of looking at a wall panel showing the ships disposition in healthy blue. Pavol caught up, his breathing only slightly taxed, and looked at the diagram.

"I'm sorry." Pavol said.

"Why?"

"For not helping, Shas'El. We were helpless-"

"Exactly. Which is why no apology is needed. Have you read my report?"

"Yes. It is, disturbing. But not the first time I've heard of alien infestation. There's all matter of beings that have evolved to latch onto the success of others. Have you ever heard of the Hrudd?"

"Nothing substantial. But I don't think this a case of parasitism. The Inquisitor seems to elude to a coming threat and that he could somehow draw it toward the Empire. He didn't seem to reference them like the Be'gel, it was almost like he was describing it as a herd of bo'vul."

Pavol smiled, "I wish I could agree with you. Believe it or not I've never seen one. We don't keep livestock on our ships."

Vel'ar had never thought of this and it momentarily distracted him, "Oh? A bo'vul are pack animals that are still used on some newer colonies. Four legs, mammalian, we used them for their flesh and hides in antiquity. They're known for being more, or less, mindless. Herd mentality. Whichever bull is leading the mass is the direction they will go and if they're spooked they'll crush anything in front of them."

"Then why not just shoot the bull?"

Vel'ar raised a fist, illustrating the movement of the herd. "First of all, they're enormous so it would take someone with Kro'le's skill to put one down fast enough. The females guard the bulls, it's strange, but they have complete dumb-faith that the bull knows where he's going, even if it's off a cliff. Besides, take out one bull and another will run up to take it's place. Some Fio believe that the deserts of T'au were churned up and made fertile by the bo'vul before we began poaching them."

"So they're unstoppable?" Pavol laughed, "Herds of mindless animals? How did we stop them with spears and stone cutters?"

Vel'ar turned, walking toward the briefing chamber. "The Kau'yon tactic was born on the plains, Pavol. We had to lure them into hundred kilometer fields and let them slake their appetites before they would slow. Sometimes directly into our own farming lest they crush everything. I think these 'Y'he' are the same."

*

The briefing room was filled with Sia't and her team. They had all spent time in the med bay where they'd been treated. The Colony Administration of Cerax, those who had been elevated in lieu of the massacre, offered the Strident several Ko'lto pods.

Ko'lto had been discovered on a minor world called M'nahn during the middle ages of the Second Sphere. The bacteria, when introduced, promoted healing and nourishment to a degree that some Pact races regarded it as a miracle in their various religions. Many old religion Gue'vesa called it 'Saint's Tears' for example.

When Vel'ar had found Shas'La Kro'le as well as Nuu'l, he insisted they be the first to spend time in the tanks. Nuu'l was recovering from shock, his leg still bandaged and limping under his armor while it was a continuing wonder that Kro'le had survived at all.

After running the air car into the Inquisitor, Kro'le had thought the human dead. He described Rayle as being heavily damaged but not overtly wounded. After being told Rayle was a psychic and telepath, Kro'le had muttered about leaving them all to die next time. The medics had said he was lucky. The car and, Vel'ar assumed, Rayle's weakening, had made Rayle's attack on Kro'le substantially lesser than what it could have been. The Enforcer they found, one Por'La B'hot, had given his own report and then had been promptly sent to an intensive care unit for the psychologically distressed.

Now they all sat there, brooding. Jeth's sacrifice had been a proud thing, but a loss in the Ta'lissera was a traumatic blow. Ali'yan had almost entirely given up speaking, although Vel'ar noticed that she now wore Jeth's machete across her back. All of them were in their armor. After being caught off guard it was likely none of them, Vel'ar included, would leave their beds without it.

He began, "We'll be reaching the Seko system later on today... Questions?" Vel'ar looked around the room. No one met his eyes. He moved on.

"Shipmaster Pavol's techs took a look at Diana's arm. The chitin is the same as the material used for the sword we recovered against the Past Walkers."

"So the two are the same?" Sia't asked. She was making an effort to engage her team.

"Not necessarily. The Past Walkers used this organic material to make their weapons, Diana seems to have grown it. What we're having difficulty with is the fact that Diana, despite appearances, was human."

"But in nature was completely identical." Ali'yan said. Vel'ar chose not to reprimand her, he did ignore her.

"The Kroot warrior said we needed to get to Seko, presumably to understand why Tau colonies are being attacked by these beings." He withdrew the amulet that the Kroot had given him from a compartment on his belt. "With the Inquisitor's deception on Cerax, I theorize we're dealing with a mass human conspiracy."

The moment hung. Finally, as Vel'ar had hoped, Nuu'l's natural curiosity broke through the curtains of his mourning.

"Well that doesn't make any sense." Nuu'l picked up a data tablet and began speed reading through the reports.

"Oh? Shas'La? Have you a better idea?"

"Yes I do. Humanity doesn't traditionally use auxiliaries and if they did we would know about it. The 'Past Walkers' we fought might have been heavily augmented humans, but that doesn't add up either due to their symmetry."

"Symmetry?"

"Humanity worships symmetry and is simultaneously abhorrant to it. Every tank, ever gun and every blade is individualized by the owner. The Past Walkers were, save for their leader, armed identically and more or less the same."

"Alright. Then the correlation between the biological matter?" Vel'ar glanced at Ghel'uun who had begun to scrawl through his own data plate. He waited, breath held. Sia't saw his gaze and understood. Finally Ghel'uun looked up, realizing everyone was looking at him.

"Oh. Right. Well." He raised up a hololithic image from his slate and slid it through the air to the table's own holo projector. The information coalesced so all could see.

"Thanks to Shipmaster Pavol," Ghel'uun nodded to the Kor'Vre who acknowledged the compliment silently, "I've been running diagnostics on the sword and Diana's claw. It makes sense to think the two are the same, however." He pointed to DNA strands and the images of the two relics in question.

"While the material is identical in every possible way, seemingly, they couldn't be further from one another on the cellular level. Diana, despite her looks, was human without a doubt. The claw formed from cartilage, bone and muscle from human stock. The Past Walker blade's material was, well, I've never seen it before. The fact that they look the same is an evolutionary mystery. But even a lay person can see that they share the same design."

Vel'ar agreed. The Past Walker scimitar was curved outward from the hilt so that the point was outward rather than in. Organic papules and spiked ridges marked it like skin. This was mimicked by Diana's claw, each of the three hooks smaller versions of the blade.

Sia't cleared her throat, "Then we're dealing with two separate threats?"

"Three. There are the Y'he, Inquisitor Rayle and these Past Walkers." Vel'ar looked to each warrior, ending on Kro'le. Of all the Firewarriors he had suffered the most and bore his wounds silently. Fresh cuts criss crossed his face, some might become scars, which Vel'ar knew would be borne with honor.

"Three separate threats and one is still unknown. But we can do this because we have to. I know we have suffered and sacrificed. We must stay focused and find those responsible for our suffering."

***

It is great to see the team all healed up! But undoubtedly the emotional scars are there. The Ta'lissera is like marriage for humans, so we can imagine what it would feel like for everyone to lose a "mate," so to speak. I'm worried about Ali'yan. She seems to be taking the lose the hardest. Back in the colony she expressed her rising disdain for humans, so I can only imagine how this will develop.

I'm gonna miss Jeth!

Don't worry Wolf, there will be other heros to get behind. Jeth was one of my favorites too, I always wondered if the grizzled Sacean would work and I'm glad he did. Sometimes you gotta cut the cord, and who better to keep Sia't and the team alive than Jeth- the only one who might have actually liked getting to grips with enemies of the Empire.

I'll be writing an origin story for him, and maybe some of the others.

For now, let's get back to the mission, and figure out what those Past Walkers are.

The shuttle's contrail streaked across Seko's midday sky like some atmospheric comet. Pack Warrior Ejrak of the Seventh Spear Kindred, snorted disdainfully as the simple beauty of his planet was marred by the vessel's arrival. He breathed in, smelling the thousand scents of his world, proud of her. The Tau had always left Seko alone, unlike Pech which had a permanent installation with thousands of Tau living on the equator.

Pech-forming, unlike T'au-forming had never been very advanced. Local fauna would slowly be incorporated via digestion and integration over the centuries but flora could never be naturally augmented. As a result, the empire builders that were Ejrak's ancestors had chosen worlds like Pech; jungle and heavily forested planets to call home. Seko had been the final jewel added before the empire had fallen apart.

Ejrak was young, almost a juvenile by Kroot standards, and was typical of many on Seko. He wore a bandolier of musket shot and gunpowder, a brace of carving blades and hooks on a wrap that criss-crossed his muscled torso. War paint in the style of his personal tribe ran spirals around his arms and legs and formed a death mask on his face. He held a deep abiding hatred for all things technological that would handicap him in a fight and so did not even use the charged particle ammo that sometimes circulated from trade with the Empire. It had made his people soft for generations, and left them unprepared against conquest by the Orks. Even now, a feral population of greenskins were hunted, regularly, in the southern continents.

The Tau, meanwhile, loved their precious drones and their inter-continental ballistic systems and their fire-and-forget payloads. It was all Ejrak could do from not gagging. Turning away from the space craft's entry he looked down from the high tree top he had scaled.

Below, each of the kindreds of Seko had sent dignitaries for a gathering that Ejrak's kindred would sponsor. They had received word from the sole Tau listening post that some kind of Shas'El bigwig was arriving after an encounter with a Sekoan warrior on some colony Ejrak didn't care about. He could make out dozens of warriors arriving through the foliage to an open field that the shuttle would eventually land at.

"Ejrak! The Shaper beckons!" Yliwo, an older female, called to him from a parallel tree.

He grunted, releasing his claws from his grip and fell, headlong, down. Branches rushed by him, leaves barely rustling with his descent. Only at the last possible moment before he became a paste on the forest floor, he shifted his body and dug his heel climbing blades into the trunk. Spinning his body around, his momentum arrested, he landed boldly on his feet.

The other Kroot barely registered him, and he them, but Ejrak knew he had surprised a few of the new comers. There was a healthy competition between the Kindreds of any world and open displays of prowess were expected.

Shouldering his rifle, he stalked into the open field and approached the master of his Kindred. The field had once been the site of a massive War Sphere's landing when the Kroot had first arrived on Seko. Twice a generation these massive vessels, the Kroot's only means of independent interstellar star travel, would visit Seko.

Then there would be a great migration, thousands more than the one Ejrak was apart of now, where competitions and games would be played to determine who would climb aboard to pay the Tau Empire's service tithe. Some would even return home, laden with trophies and booty while their own bodies would become treasures after they died. The Kindred ritually fed on such corpses, returning the captured genes of the races and worthy foes defeated in the Kroot's lifetime, enriching the biologically diversity of the society as a whole.

Bhakis Uok was a squat and truly ancient Shaper. He walked with the help of a tall staff topped with pearls, captured from Seko's turbulent seas to the north, and chips of obsidian from the active volcano range in the south. The staff represented Bhakis' stewardship of Seko. Kroot hierarchy did not require a king or an emperor or even a council in times of peace. The Kindreds competed and shared the worlds they colonized. But in times such as these, when the Tau called upon them, one Master Shaper was given the lifelong task of being their representative. The Tau liked consistency.

"Hail, Master Bhakis." Bhakis turned his quilled head upward, snapping his beak in delight.

"Hail, my son Ejrak!" Ejrak embraced his father, feeling the loose skin shift under his embrace. There was still spirit in the Master Shaper, and he gripped Ejrak with strength to match.

"The Kindred of the Jagged Edge arrive."

"Good," Bhakis croaked, "Then we are almost all collected. The Tau will see our strength and be honored."

"Yes, father." Ejrak's temple quills bristled.

Bhakis saw the agitation. "What is it, son."

"I do not believe the Tau require such a gathering. Some Kindreds have taken many weeks and suffered perils to reach here, and for what? So the Tau may ask questions?"

Bhakis clapped his hands and bobbed his head. "The Tau send word and we must come, such is the way. If it is for naught, then so be it. It will be a benefit for some Kindreds to witness our allies. Seko is far from the Empire and it has been long that they have visited." He slapped Ejrak on the arm, "Soon you will join our people amongst the stars, you'd better get used to the blue folk."

"Who look down on us..." Ejrak rattled.

"You listen to your brother too much." Bhakis waved a claw toward a proud warrior at the edge of the field. Uoot Second Sight was the alpha-kin of the Seventh Spear, famed and veteran after forty years serving in the Empire. "Just as their are bad genes there are bad Commanders and he served a Kel'shan. Make your own opinions, Ejrak." Bhakis clucked happily.

*

The Kroot numbered just below a hundred warriors. Thirty two Kindreds called Seko their home and each had sent a Shaper to represent them. They now crouched before Bhakis who twittered to each, welcoming them and thanking them for their sacrifice. One of the Kindreds, the Half Moon's, had lost half their party to feral Orks who had ambushed them in the swamps two days east.

"When we have given the Tau what they require, we shall return and avenge your kin." Bhakis promised, "It has been too long since I leapt with my warriors against the greenskins."

The Half Moon warrior that had been chosen to lead after their Shaper had died, prostrated himself at such an honor. All assembled knew that Bhakis meant to die on such a hunt. Ejrak looked at his brother who only glanced back. Their father was ancient, a final hunt would be a good death.

The rising volume of a sub-sonic craft interrupted the conversation and all eyes turned upward.

"There is still beauty in their technology, son. Not unlike the flowers and trees or the skies that look down on all of us." Bhakis reached out and squeezed Ejrak's arm. "Do not hate or fear something you do not understand or the thing that hurt your ancestors. All things change. The wise merely adapt." It was the last thing his father would say to him.

Ejrak had never seen a Tau space craft before, only the heard the disdainful stories of his brother. It was angular and wide, like a trident with left and right wings that stretched out from the center crew compartment and curved inward defensively. Harsh spikes stuck out at odd angles from a rear spinning engine analog that, itself, was smooth and glowed a strange green. The young warrior felt a thrill as waves of heat and energy buffeted the plain, sending deep vibrations through the very earth. Was this anti-grav?

As if in answer the craft suddenly halted, turning slowly as it brought it's forward section downward. Ejrak could see inside the cockpit, an 'eye' like glass bubble where a single figure was suspended in what seemed to be a kind of brace that had cables leading from it.

And then something strange happened. His brother twitched and suddenly his rifle was in his claws. Other warriors followed the veteran Uoot, save for Ejrak who looked at his father. Bhakis' was over two hundred years old. Always calm, always quick to joke, so unlike the other Shapers who were so serious and dour. Bhakis loved his people, loved the Tau, and loved Seko. He was no more afraid of the Orks that had become a part of his world as he was afraid of a hatchling a couple had named for him.

Bhakis' ancient face was drawn, beak open in a silent scream. His eyes were wide, horrified and confused all at once, and his claws had cut gouges out of his staff.

"It cannot be." A Shaper, from the Broken Wing, gasped.

The Tau shuttle seemed to give a little dip, like a dancer would bow or a duelist would nod to a worthy opponent. Panels slid open on it's wing mounts and on either side of the cockpit, revealing rotary guns that had already begun to spin.

"We are betrayed!" Ejrak screeched, firing as he stepped in front of his father. Other warriors began to fire as well, loud musket shots that flung solid rounds or low level pulse fire. The Tau ship suffered a single volley from the massed Kroot as others grabbed the Shaper's they were sworn to protect and dragging them away, before it opened fire.

"Ejrak run!" Uoot shouted just before seven hundred mass-reactive bolts turned him and eight others into a mist. Ejrak was reloading when they bolts found him, killing everything around him in a vicious gust of death. He felt his father's hand die, rather than saw, as he exploded, the hand grotesquely clinging to him . Somehow he was alive. He turned and ran, bounding over corpses.

Death was part of life, mourning would come later when Ejrak returned the bodies of his family to his Kindred and they consumed them. His father would live in his son who would pass him on to his own children. Ejrak strangely comforted himself in this even as the Tau eradicated them.

The craft was hunting now, orbiting the field and blasting apart any Kroot that the pilot could see. Some warriors still turned and fired, impotently, trying to draw fire away from the leaders of Seko. Ejrak had no such charge left and so added his own fire against the craft even as he made toward the treeline.

"The Tau have betrayed us!" Another Kroot squawked, holding her innards in with fistfuls of entrails. Ejrak ignored her. Her end was already upon her.

Other Kroot had already made it to the trees, maybe twelve or thirteen. They fired, trying to cover their brethren. Those who had stayed behind saw this and leapt toward cover, Ejrak the last to hit the tree line before the craft could kill them. Ejrak saw it dip again, this time in triumph.

Ejrak joined the warriors, crouched behind trees big enough to mask them. Ejrak knelt, eyeing them as they quickly debated what to do.

"They are too strong."

"We must fall back."

"The Tau bird will kill us all. We must save the Shaper council."

"There are not many left."

"Then we form two war parties."

"Yes. One to lead the Shapers to safety amongst the Kindred troupes to the south."

"And the other?"

"Lead them toward the greenskins."

"Those who go will not survive."

Ejrak put his right hand on the ground, fingers splayed out. "I offer my life." Five other Kroot twittered and placed their hands next to Ejrak's. The warriors nodded and the parties quickly formed.

A Shaper, from the Crimson Suns, suddenly appeared amongst them. "They are not of the Tau, warriors of Seko."

Ejrak trilled. "Then who are they?"

"It doesn't matter, we must go!" Another warrior burbled. The warriors were already itching to move again. Their utter defeat was stinging many of their prides.

Ejrak looked back as the shuttle slowly spun, then sighed into a landing. He could make out a rear section open and three figures stepped out. They were tall, taller than a Kroot, completely covered in glowing armor. Their left hands were bulky, four thumbs tipped with heavy bladed claws. Their right hands held gun analogs and blades fixed to the wrists. On one of the alien's shoulders was a cruel looking snouted canon.

"Not who but what. They will hunt you, use the jungle. You must get to the Way Station and warn the Tau. We will meet you there and aid you once the Kindreds can be mustered."

"The Way Station is just beyond the Ork hunting grounds."

"Then we kill two prey with one spear." There was a ripple of agreements.

Ejrak frowned, "I understand, Shaper. We go!"

Without a sound, the survivors of the gathering split up and melted into the jungle.

***

The Second Claw vented the internal atmosphere from his suit and sucked in Seko's thick scented air. It was humid, filled with the aroma of an unsullied world. His two companions did the same, it would be easier to track the prey if they could smell them.

The attack had been executed perfectly. The Kroot hierarchy was almost completely wiped out, Seko would be leaderless. The Tau would arrive soon. None must know that the Strong had returned. None must be allowed to know of their coming. If the Tau were to learn too much then all would be lost.

"Signal the Jhaakdwa to make a pass then return to the War Sphere to deal with the Strident. We kill the rest of the Shapers now."

Calmsword, please stop shocking me with these plot twists! I really didn't see this coming and I am really looking forward to finding out more about these bad guys.

Oh and very well done on the Kroot stuff. I like the glimpse into their culture and traditions.

Gosh darn it calmsword. You've kept me up till midnight catching up on the last few instalments. When Im late for work tommorow, ill be blaming you

Your writing style is nothing short of exemplary. You weave believable, three dimensional and ever evolving characters. The little quip about Kro'le leaving them all to die next time actually made me laugh out loud aswell.

Im glad to see that Vash Isn't the only one to remember the lessons of bygone days and draw parallels with modern day threats (The bo'vul)


And I agree with wolfs. You have to stop shocking us like this. It was shaping up to be such a pleasant meeting Then you just go and kick us in the guts with these past walkers.

Vel'ar is having a seriously rough couple of weeks. Poor guy cant catch a break. He'd better get his own manta or something as a Christmas bonus

You know- I wanted to go back and write a little more about Rift Space, but I that will have to be in the delux edition of Empire:Coming Storm. Work is picking back up, so I want to get you guys a conclusive story before we're out.

I'm lucky enough to also be working with one of the artists so, hopefully we'll have some visuals soon to do justice to some of my poorer vocabulary moments.

Thanks, as always, for the critiques. I'll keep pumping out product to make you guys happy- the true meat and potatoes of this story begins on SEKOT.

***

Less than one day from arrival transition

Vel'ar stood in the compact laboratories that the Strident maintained above the engine core module. The lab was made from the whitest of fio'tak so that the room glowed with the reflected light of the panels. There were two compartments. The first was fitted with tools, tethered robotic drone devices and a series of operating tables that remained immaculate with the help of a extra storage space that could be ordered from the ceilings and floor. These racks were filled with all manner of Fio necessity that Vel'ar didn't waste any time on trying to determine function or use.

The second room was more private and was connected by a hallway that disinfected and sanitized anything that entered with low level bursts of ultraviolet light. Inside, where the previous room was cluttered with equipment, this area was spartan. A single work bench and table sat in the center of the room, the walls blank with touch-sensitive screens and deactivated holo pods.

The Fio'Ui in charge, a diminutive yet proud Sa'cean, addressed him without standing from her work bench. "Greetings, Shas'El. I was wondering when we'd meet." He nodded. Fio'Ui Sa'cea Fyna'l had been an addition to the crew on Cerax along with a supply dump that the Shas'Ar'Tol had provided once word had been given of the Strident's docking.

Vel'ar had gone over the manifests with Pavol and Shas'Ui Sia't. Where once the Firewarriors had had to carry their own gear on board and the Shipmaster had had to be content with whatever the Vior'La Sept could offer, they now had a true armament load out.

Guided, high impact fusion torpedoes and a new sensor package had been upgraded for the vessel while the details of the Past Walkers had permitted for the Fio'Ar'Tol to prematurely 'okay' new kits for the Shas.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Excuse me for taking so long to make this visit."

Fyna'l looked up at him. She was working on a suit of armor, Vel'ar's in fact. "Well, of course, Shas'El. You've got big things to do, matters of importance, mission considerations and all those lovely vocabulary words you Shas like to throw around." She shook her head in an admonishing manner that borderlined insult. Vel'ar let patience win out rather than scold her.

"Yes, but I'm here now. Shas'Ui Sia't said you needed my approval to upgrade our suits." Her face was pouty, but not unattractive. Like many from Sa'cea her skin was taught and pale from living in the massive domed cities of that world. Her hands seemed to be fidgeting constantly with a tool or her work as she now stood, almost a head shorter, to look up at Vel'ar.

"Your calling is the defense of Empire, mine is to make sure you have the tools to do it. I was called away from very important work on Feralon to be here, and I have already lodged a complaint to the Fio'O of Sa'cea about this divergent assignment." She sniffed indignantly then splayed her fingers over the armor.

"Preparation advances us as much as execution. You faced some grubby aliens who like to use acid. Well. Now you Shas can sit tight and bath in the stuff."

Vel'ar looked at his armor. Save for the renewed paint and where the fio'tak had chipped repaired, it looked the same.

"Am I supposed to see something?"

"If the next improvement of the Shas is to grow microscopes for eyes, then yes." She deftly punched in a command at the work table and a magnified image of the armor projected itself for Vel'ar's examination.

"You were hit with a poly-acidic biological agent that was busy converting the elements in fio'tak into itself. I'd say the acid was semi-sentient, if that's possible, since it was essentially procreating with your armor to triple the corrosive reaction time. There's a joke in there, but I don't know you and you don't seem like you would get it."

Vel'ar's mouth opened, then turned into a smile. "I see."

"Do you. Well, now I've coated the lot of your armor plates with a mutable base which should stop that process. It'll still eat your skin, can't change that, so remind your team why my forefather's designed helmets for you."

"Right." Vel'ar's mind swam to the file on Fyna'l. She was, if anything, a rising star amongst her own cast. Vel'ar had requested at least a 'Vre to join them as the Strident had no science officer. Looks like he'd gotten something better.

"No, the word is 'yes'. I've also been told we're going to Sekot."

"Yes, Fio'Ui. We arrive in a few hours."

"Would be less if they just let me overhaul the damned logic engine, you're two data packages behind--"

The audio speakers, found in every room of the vessel, suddenly chimed, Pavol's irritated voice on the other line. "I'll have you know that this ship is the most advanced in the Empire and that I updated the drive logic engines myself."

Fyna'l's eyes darted to the source of the interruption. She walked over and used a shelf she opened to boost her up, directly to the speaker. "No one told me that the Shipmaster was using a XV426 link!" Vel'ar couldn't tell if she were happy or annoyed, "You're plugged right in aren't you?" She raised a small pen-like stylus and began tinkering with the speaker.

"The Chair, yes. Goes to show how much you think you know."

She made a kind of tut-tut sound as she opened the speakers panel, revealing a bundle of glowing wires. Vel'ar stepped back, watching the scene unfold.

"Then you probably just let the Cerax AI tell you there was one available."

There was a pause as Pavol considered, "Yes."

"Which means you didn't do the grunt work and actually research that the Fio'El, Tau'n Ar'kais G'thed, who's been designing the logic navigation cores for every ship that floats this past decade, published a course correction node available for download all over the Empire for the past month."

"I--"

"Didn't know... Well you wouldn't. Because you're a nosey Air Cast shipmaster that thinks he just has to update his computers when he's told to and not when he needs to. I'll send you my notes on course corrections and how to fix that armature you're wearing after the Shas'El thanks me for the XV-8 I'm supposed to tell him about." She twisted a wire and the speaker died. She turned, looking at Vel'ar.

"I don't like being spied on. You Shas want to put any bugs on me and I'll have them reprogrammed to emit Vespid Hive mating calls with no off setting. Understood?"

"I understand. Shas'Ui Sia't and her team will keep all listening devices for their own security..." She nodded with a huff then jumped off the shelf. She walked back to her bench and looked at the armor, smiling proudly.

Vel'ar coughed, "You have an XV-8?"

Fyna'l rolled her eyes. "Yes, I have a shiny new weapon for you to dirty up with your battles and your conflicts and whatever ridiculousness you Shas find yourselves in. I don't give three strokes of a t'pel shark's fin if you want to go joy riding in it." She tapped a pad and another shelf opened, revealing a Fio technical pod that she slipped onto her left hand.

"I... Fio'Ui you talk very quickly--"

"In the scope of the myriad of races, currently known and theorized, Shas'El, our species is on the short end of the stick. Do you realize this? No, your caste thinks duty and honor can outshine individuals that can rearrange constellations. No matter. We live a fraction of time necessary for the work we must accomplish." She fastened the pod, happy with the connection, then smiled at Ve'lar.

"Do you want to take it for a joy ride? I read your file. You'll like my work, make that pretty Shas'La losing her mind in the loading bay take some time off. Yes? Of course. You'll lead the way?"

***

Vel'ar rarely got to experience the thrill of the Class Eight Xar'vesa war machine. His was a support role, assisting Shas'O or coordinating strikes from a troop carrier or drop ship. Front line combat was usually on the ground, leading kill-teams or combat squads against targets far from the major combat zones.

He lifted one of the XV8's claws, the duralloy ringing against the deck of the launch bay. As Pavol had said about the Chair, the XV systems linked directly into the pilot's nervous system through a nano-needle at the base of his skull.

While his body was inert, cradled in the suit's center mass in a fetal position, his mind was free to control the vast capabilities of flight, heavy weapons and information coordination.

"What you'll note is that each limb has been fitted with an additional generator allowing for longer field operations and less taxation on the fusion generator in the thruster assembly." F'ynal stood before him, coming up to the XV's knee joint, punching in data on her arm pod.

When the pair had arrived, Pavol furiously berating him in his ear, it was as F'ynal had said. Ali'yan was in her combat fatigues battling two of Sia't's training droids with Jeth's machete.

Vel'ar hadn't said anything, watching as she danced between the droids that, he quickly noted, were on maximum lethality. She had sharpened the machete using a the attentions of a las-burner to make it sharp enough to cut through the droids armor. Hacking and swiping, the droids limbs came off one by one until they were heaps of twitching parts. Then she would begin to reassemble them with the help of N'uul's technical drone he had loned her.

She was dealing with grief. She should have been taken and sent back to Sept space but Vel'ar needed her hate and her drive. These were dark times and such tools were necessary.

But when Vel'ar stepped into his brand new, straight out of the factory XV suit, sent to the mission after the Past Walker discovery, many of the crew of the Strident had come to gather in the wide launch bay to witness the spectacle.

It was a well deserved break.

"That kind of power reserve is going to make him a time bomb! In between " N'uul shouted from the crowd that had formed about Vel'ar.

F'ynal glared at the Shas'La. "That's why each power core is able to be ejected. Take the modular system of an XV weapons load out and now apply it to the engineering, by the sands!"

This illicited laughter from the other Shas and some of the Kor. Cubor pawed N'uul playfully and the smaller Shas crossed his arms with indignation.

Inside, Vel'ar ran a full diagnostic. The thought-impulse prompted screens with different information to scroll over his pilot's helmet, a scaled down version of the line-warrior armor. As he moved his 'head', a sophisticated camera pod and communication node atop the chasis, he took in his surroundings.

The HUD had come a long way since his first training missions on Vior'la a lifetime ago. Small 'data' icons floated above every Tau and piece of equipment. A further nudge of thought and he could open a dossier on each including the calculative means of further action. This meant that he could quickly deduce how far something was away from him, how fast it would take to get there by flight or stride and what the item was or what the individual had had for breakfast, as long as it was in the constantly updating data stream.

He grinned, maybe for the first time since getting drunk with his warriors on Cerax. F'ynal hadn't stopped talking.

"As I was saying; this additional power source provides more power to those energy weapons that are applicable, but they also allow you, the pilot, to divert twenty four percent more output for maneuverability. I've determined a obstacle course if you're ready."

"Excellent, Fio'Ui. I'm ready." His voice was emitted from what could be described as the XV's 'belt' section. There was a chime and Pavol's symbol, the word 'Strident' appeared in the upper left hand corner of his vision. He answered it, turning on 'private mode'.

"Shas'El! This has got to stop. First you've invited a bunch of Shas who cut me off from the barracks and now we've got a Fio'Ui on board modifying my abilities to maintain the ship."

"Pavol, please, Aun'O D'teylioc wants her here to examine the Past Walkers."

"But I wasn't told. She just appeared here after Cerax during the clean up. You didn't even see her until three days after we made the jump to warp space."

"I've been busy," and had more bruises than he cared to admit, "And she said I could have an XV8, shipmaster, we can't all fly cruisers now can we? Enjoy the show." He shut the channel off then concentrated on F'ynal. She had moved to the far end of the launch bay. Behind her was the closed blast shield that would be open space, about fifty seventy meters ahead of him.

Vel'ar stepped forward, flexing the joints of the suit one more time. The weapons mounts on his thruster assembly and on either arm were bare, so he extended the dendrite 'hands' spreading them out like a shock-ball athlete before a match.

She raised the technical pod and data swam before Vel'ars HUD as she beamed information directly into the AI of his suit.

"Now, Shas'El, I've made some changes to the basic operating system." Her voice spoke directly into his auditory pickups on the outer shell of the suit so she didn't have to shout.

"You might need to get used to the power sharing, so we'll do a mobility test first." A holo-projected sphere leapt from her pod, floating a few meters before her.

"Now. I want you to reach this target as fast as you can. There will be obstacles in the form of drones. All pulse fire is on marker-level but I'll be noting simulated system failures and your performance will reflect the inability to evade. Okay?"

Vel'ar bared his teeth in a hungry grin. He had forgotten the sensation, of having such incredible energy flowing through his mind and body. He felt an eagerness of youth and his suite stamped the ground, reflecting the anticipation.

"Ready, Fio'Ui, let's see what you've got." There were hoots from some of the Tau. Ghel'uun took out a data pad and, to Vel'ar's chagrin, started taking bets.

"Alright then, go!"

CHOICE:

Know we haven't done this in a while, however, I bet you'll like this. I'm making a character to represent Vel'ar on the field. He's got Shas'El stats but there will be tweaks to his rules and equipment. And you can play a part in that creation:

Mobility= Should Vel'ar put more power into his main thrusters, the back pack, or more power to his maneuvering package (thrusters on his arms and legs). He'll be faster with the backpack but unable to maneuver as freely.

Going to do an auto-choice by tomorrow, unless anyone has a preference. Was it a Bad question? I'd like to keep the mechanic alive.

Sorry, it's been a busy past few days!

I really like the new Fio! Her dialog is quick and witty, so I look forward to many interactions with her. I really liked these last two updates. Combat can be fun and all, but I always enjoy character building stuff. Well done as always!

As for the choice, I'd say maneuverability is the way to go. The Past Walkers seem like pretty deadly warriors, so I think being able to out maneuver them would come in handy more than speed.

Don't mean to be a whiner, just excited to get through the next couple of choices so you guys can finally be in the loop for the Past walkers Thanks, as always Wolf!

I'm going to have to choose Manouverability as well. I don't have any specific reasons as to why. I just feel like it suits his character.

I apologise for my absence as well. I've been away on a family holiday (our first in about 6 years ). I like the Fio'Ui aswell. I do feel kind of bad for Pavol though. Everyone is tweaking his new toy.

Im glad to see the choices back. Im going to add my vote for maneuverability as well, Leave raw speed to the tetras and piranha, Battle suits have always been about out maneuvering the enemy.

Im looking forward to seeing your character. Ive been tinkering with my battlesuits a little bit more before I left and found a neat way to represent some extra leg thrusters. cant wait to see what you come up with

Thanks guys, you just spoiled me with the quick responses- Shadow Kat, I hope the family is well. Sorry the choices went a little out the window- it'll be back with a vengeance this time around. I just got back home after 6 months- can't wait to build Vel'ar.

Aun Tier- I think you guys have a really good understanding of the characters in this story, so I'm glad for your input.

Wolf16- Thanks for the kind words, let me know if you ever want to see something that isn't developing.


Maneuverability it is!

ps: To any of the other readers- remember you can vote and add input as well. I'll also check out anything you've been developing and add my support if need be.

The drone target on the far end of the launch bay danced into movement, thrusters whining so that it climbed toward the upper rafters. Gun drones detached from their mounts or spun into attack vectors, already cycling up with their pulse carbines. Vel'ar grinned and let them come.

"What are you doing? Get to it!" Vel'ar heard someone shout. He did not and only braced the XV's frame to a crouched position. The drones were swarming, there were eight of them, almost a full squadron and almost at the peak of their networked cognitive reasoning. But in the confines against a single target they were bunching up, ready to attack him in two's.

He didn't let them.

He diverted all the substantial power into his right thruster, leaving the left dormant. With his claws dug into the decking, there was a piercing screech as sparks flew, Vel'ar letting the force send him into a blindingly fast slide away from the drones.

Fully airborne he would never be as maneuverable as them, so he didn't try. As they tracked him he diverted some power into the leg thrusters and hopped as they began firing. The pulse salvo stitched the decking where his legs were. The first two jetted past him and as the second two zeroed on him he turned the 'hop' into a full leap as he powered up both thrusters.

This time he crashed into one of the drones, it's substantial weight colliding with him. He let himself go with the crash, spinning the chasis into a confusing spiral downward. The final two chased after him as he sped to the deck floor.

At the last possible second, Vel'ar blasted the ground in a dash forward. His claws dug into the plating, leaving massive gouges as he through the rest of his reserves into bounding leaps forward.

With victory thrilling his core he reached the target, cheers echoed off the launch bay. Vel'ar looked at the F'ynal and she scowled back.

"You rammed the drone!"

"Yes, Fio'Ui."

She made a note on a data pad. "I'm not going to let that trick work twice. Next is a weapons load out, Shas'El. We're not going to let you lay waste to this launch bay. Pick what you want and we'll digitally apply them to your weapon mounts."


Choose a load out:

Any of the weapons available to normal crisis suits may be chosen (2) and one support system.

No special issue wargear or special weapons (as they haven't been developed yet)