Just a story I'm playing with. At the end of Chapter 2 it turns into a 'choose it' adventure. If you enjoy the story, please leave comments, if you didn't I'd like your feedback, and if you'd like a hand in deciding where Shas'El Vel'ar will go next just post a comment.

Thanks in advance.

Introduction

Shas’La Vel’ar wretched inside his own helmet, thick arterial blood splashing against the heads up display. He didn’t know where he was only that he had been sealed in the tightly packed confines of a troop carrier as his unit was sent to the front.
He gurgled, swallowing his own fluids as he fought to breath before he finally turned over and let his armor’s vent system flush it out. He was blind! The world before him a black void. He could only hear screaming and the exchange of Tau pulse and Human las fire.
The Minor-Intelligent computer in his helmet suddenly filled his head. “You have sustained a head injury, Shas’La, I advise medical attention.” He shook his head, trying to shake out the black void. His fingers went to his face reflexively, and then he felt it. A finger length of shrapnel had buried it’s way into his duel camera pod. Had it not been for his helmet, Vel’ar knew, he’d have been decapitated.
Quickly working his fingers to the seal under his jaw, he hit the release. There was a sigh as the internal atmosphere equalized and then it was off his face. White, angry light blinded him again and he put a hand up to shield his eyes. And then he could see.
The sky was tortured with crisscrossing missile contrails and fighter craft as they danced their deadly game. Artillery from both sides were hammering each other at extremely close range, leaving behind massive craters that made the once green fields look like the surface of an airless moon. Black columns of smoke reached up from raging fires as the Tau desperately fought to resist the Imperial invasion of Dal’yth. They were losing.
Vel’ar crouched, looking around him. His transport was broken open like a shell fish, it’s hatch doors blown off by the force of whatever had hit it. He made his way to the hulk, quickly scanning for survivors. There were none, only half burnt bodies and twisted metal. He had not known these Shas long, but the sight of such destruction made him rage with impotence. He punched the side of the hull, letting the pain filter his anger until he could think.
In the distance he could make out drifting tanks as they orbited the warzone, each one attempting to stem the tide of advancing Gue'La treaded tanks. Streams of fleeing warriors and civilians were running, hobbling, crawling away from the burning city. Vel’ar realized in horror that his troop carrier hadn’t even reached the fighting!
Gal’arn District had been a residential suburb of Gel’bryn City, before humanity had invaded. Now it was broken buildings, shattered streets. It was a key defensive point, necessary to hold until Gel’bryn itself could be evacuated, and so the Shas’Ar’Tol had ordered it be held at all costs. The Imperium had responded with something called ‘Titans.’
“All Firewarriors withdraw! Withdraw!” His comm was still working, a smooth pearl-like bead that sat in his ear. The voice on the other end was filled with terror, the echo of heavy weapons fire almost drowning him out. He needed orders so he opened the channel.
Vel’ar touched the bead. “This is Shas’La Vior’La Vel’ar, I- My unit was hit.”
There was a cough of static then; “Shas’La, everything’s been hit! Get your ass out of--” The line went out just as another explosion shook the world. Vel’ar ducked and saw an entire residential tower sway, then something failed inside of it and the whole thing came crumbling down. A mighty rush of dirt and debris, filled the air, momentarily halting the battle as Tau and human witnessed the spectacle. Then, parting the cloud like an angry god, stood the warmachine that was killing this city.
It was enormous, a moving weapon at twenty six meters tall. A bipedal vehicle who's command center sat between it’s weapons mounts like an engorged skull. It was as alien as the Imperium that had invaded the Empire two cycles ago.
Vel’ar knew that Sept Command had thrown cadre after cadre against the Titans, trying to slow their advance but to no avail. His own unit, green and untried in battle, were the last reserves to be thrown into the meat grinder.
The Titan’s head tilted upward suddenly and blared out a roar, seemingly in challenge to the Tau. Fire Caste tanks fired back even as they fought to evade the walker's next barrage. Vel’ar could only stare at the towering giant, in awe of it’s complete dominance as rail-fired sabot rounds ricochet off it’s forcefields.
And then he heard a voice over his comm. that broke it’s spell.
“Keep it together, Shas’La! This is the Commander, regroup on these coordinates!” The voice was completely without fear, commanding, and snapped him into action. Vel’ar looked down at his wrist mounted data panel as yellow indicator graphics appeared on it’s map. He began to run.
A fresh barrage from the Titan shook the world as it advanced forward. Vel’ar kept his head down, ducking behind burned out vehicles and smoking ruins. He wasn’t alone. The Commander had, seemingly, halted the Fire Caste’s retreat. Dozens of other warriors had turned and were now making their way to the coordinates being uploaded, just like Vel’ar.
Scarlet laser fire flashed by him, chewing up the terrain. He threw himself into a crater and reached for his weapon. In horror, he realized that his rifle must have been ripped from it’s holster on his back in the blast.
He checked his webbing, letting his fingers find the hilt of his tactical knife. He yanked it out, staring at the blade. It had an arrow like point, a diamond hard edge on one side and serrated on the other. It wasn’t much, but it would have to be enough.
The human ground troops were making their push, taking full advantage of the Titan’s attack. Vel’ar saw a Firewarrior rise and shoot off a round before being riddled with las fire. In the rear a friendly tank floated up from a burning ruin and lay down a withering barrage of blue pulse fire from it’s forward guns. Vel’ar heard the deep, guttural cries as human’s died before one fell into the crater with him.
There was only a moment between Vel’ar and the alien. It was large, it’s body covered in carapace armor that made it seem more like an insect with it’s face hidden behind a blue tinted visor. Vel’ar had never seen a human this close before. Maybe it had never seen a Tau at this proximity either, and maybe that’s why they hadn’t killed eachother yet.
“Scum!” The word was ugly and Vel’ar didn’t understand it, he did understand the rifle being brought up to shoot. Vel’ar lunged forward just as the human weapon fired, burying the blade hilt-deep into the alien’s stomach, just underneath it’s chest-plate. It gasped, voice gurgling, and died.
Vel’ar pushed off and stood over the alien, red blood staining his own armor. Eyes wide, he watched the body twitch and spasm.
“All Firewarriors, move!” That voice again. Vel’ar stooped to pick up the human rifle. He winced, his hand shooting to his neck. His hand came away bloody. The human had gotten a shot off and it had nicked his collar. Luckily, the las round had also cauterized the wound and he wouldn’t bleed to death. He shouldered the weapon and set off again.
The Titan had moved a city block over, something was distracting it, giving the Shas’La precious moments to make it through the final stretch. A second did not pass between missile rounds fell from the sky into it, infuriating the crew to the monster so that it ignored everything else.
Vel’ar pulled himself through the blown out front of what must have been a produce depository before an artillery round had reduced it to piles or rubble. Vel’ar made his way toward the back until he reached a cleared out storage unit where seven XV suits stood inert in a loose circle. The pilots had arrayed in a semi-circle, conversing in low tones over a holo map projected by a service drone.
Exhausted, he gasped; “My lord?”
The pilots turned. This was Vel’ar’s first time actually seeing a combat-pilot. In the academy they had been taught universally by veterans, but those men and women had been old and beyond their prime. The warriors before him made him momentarily forget that moments ago he had been running for his life.
And then, a living legend turned and concentrated his full attention on the beleaguered Shas’La.
“Kov'ash Tau'va, warrior of our people.” Commander Farsight’s scarred, ever-defiant face had looked over every warrior of the Empire since Vel’ar was a child. “It’s time to show these Gue’la how to fight a war. Will you stand with me?”

Chapter 1

Eight years after the end of the Lithesh War and the defeat of the Damocles Crusade.

“What do you mean he’s ‘gone’?” Vel’ar sat in the padded couch of an aircar as a drone piloted him from the equatorial starport at L’nlay toward the inner equatorial cities. Outside, the Vior’La day was hot and bright, typical due to the dual suns that the arid planet orbited. He absently looked out at the planet of his birth and the window’s reflection. He had left Vior’La a Shas’La, he was now returning as a Shas’El. Then he had been fresh faced, his ritual top knot adorned with a single ring offered by a childhood teacher.
Now, he donned a rope of hair interlaced with trinkets from a dozen campaigns. His skin tanned with the light of alien stars with ritual scars about his arms and above his left eye. He was an adult, a proud warrior, and he was home.
But that did not mean he could relax. The floating holo image of Por’Vre Halat was his reminder. The Water Caste envoy continued.
“A Messenger ship reached us twelve days ago reporting that Commander Farsight encountered heavy resistance on Arthas Moloch near the Gulf Expanse. There was an addendum, with the Commander’s private security voucher, stating that the Coalition’s Ethereal council was... assassinated in a surprise strike by the enemy.”
Vel’ar turned his full attention to the holo-image of a man that had, moments before, been little more than a pre-briefing annoyance. “Enemy, which enemy? Specify.”
“The Commander did not include a description of the enemy.” Halat rubbed his forehead, an awkward gesture seen on the holo-image as his hand ‘floated’ into view from beyond what the transmitter could record. “Following this message were the final coordinates of the Commander’s fleet.”
“Which were? Put an end to these theatrics and explain yourself.” Halat cringed at the rebuke but continued. “Beyond the Veil.” Vel’ar’s eyes grew wide.
The Veil. At the dawn of the Second Sphere, centuries ago, the Ethereals had declared an interdiction on the entire Damocles Gulf region with Vior’La and Sa’Cea the last Septs allowed colonization rights along the border. The Gulf was a natural divide between the dense, globular cluster that the Empire existed in and the rest of the galaxy. It was thousands of lightyears wide and yet completely devoid of stars. The Veil was a scattering of outposts and colonies that enforced the interdiction, to go beyond it was to leave the Empire.
The aircar lurched, making it’s descent toward the domed city’s military quarter.
“Councilor Halat, I’m currently en route to the War College. Once I’m finished--”
The Por’Vre waved dismissively. “All lower priority meetings have been postponed, Shas’El Vel’ar, this takes precedent.”
Vel’ar shook his head. “Lower priority? We’re still dealing with spill over from the Ork attacks on Arkunasha, Por’Vre. I’m supposed to be preparing Shas’O Dakkunan’s cadres to hit Ilio. Commander Farsight’s absence cannot change the overall plan for victory.”
“It changes everything.” Halat turned his attention away from Vel’ar and something chimed in the pilot-drone in front of him and the aircar shifted. “An emergency meeting has been called and you have been requested by his holiness, Aun’O D’teylioc. I’ve already sent your aircar the clearance codes.”
Vel’ar look out the window as the aircar’s descent angle changed. An order from the highest ranking Ethereal in the Sept nullified any argument. “As the Ethereal’s will it.”
Halat nodded, “For the Greater Good.” And with that the holo image dissolved.

Vior’La’s desert surface was dotted with fortress-cities that thrived beneath protective domes that shielded them from the star systems twin-suns. Each city was connected to their neighbor via labyrinthian tunnel networks made to confuse both visitors and invaders. From an aerial view, each city was a mirror of it’s neighbor, yet another tactic to baffle and confuse. Such tricks did not work on a native like Vel’ar, however, and he could easily tell that the city below him was Or’es Shas, the capital.
As the aircar banked over the outskirts of the dome that covered the city he could make out the Market district as well as the main Shas training fields. The architects had built no singular edifice or landmark to act as a guide. Instead; sensor clusters, shield generator placement, as well as the grid systems the streets had been designed on, stuck out like eyesores to Vel’ar while they would have baffled any visitor to the great capital.
Vel’ar noticed that his aircar remained alone as he passed over the threshold of the dome. The lanes of other aircars, orderly in their lanes of traffic, were beneath him so that the drone pilot could accelerate to their destination unheeded. Once he had circled over the larger, center-dome of the city, the aircar quickly descended over an unassuming landing pad just off the city’s main factory district.
The aircar’s comm opened a channel as Vel’ar entered hailing range.
“This is Pad 2-A-1. What is your business?”
“This is Shas’El Vior’La Kais Vel’ar requesting a landing.”
“And?” This kind of sarcasm was common amongst Vior’Lans. The challenge drew a smile on his face.
“Drop the act, Shas’La and check my IDent codes. His holiness has need of me.”
There was a pause on the other line as Vel’ar’s identity was verified and clearance codes were exchanged.
“... Docking pad 1. We are now overriding your drone pilot.”
There was shift in the aircars thrusters, as though a massive hand had plucked it from the sky and was dragging it down.

Vel’ar had been in the Ethereal Temple before as a child when his creche had been paraded before the Ethereals of Vior’La. That day had been glorious with holo-projected fireworks and a feast that had put all other food to shame since. There was comfort in the memory.
The aircar’s hatch folded open and he stepped out into the underground hangar. There were dozens of other aircars, a shuttle with fresh carbon scoring from atmospheric reentry, and in the distance he could make out a squadron of personal flyers that had planetary emblems from worlds all over the Vior’Lan Sept. A nearby door opened and a security detail marched out, hooves scraping against the ivory decking.
Reaching him, a Firewarrior with Shas’Ui markings and the red-gold trim of the honor guard, stepped forward.
“Shas’El Vel’ar.” He saluted, fist over heart. “Aun’O T’au D’teylioc is expecting you.”
“What’s all this?” He waved a hand at the filled hangar bay.
The Shas'Ui ignored the question. “If you’ll come with us.”

Vior’La had been a Sept devoted to war since it’s colonization. There had been a number of races, both indigenous and otherwise, in the star systems that had been claimed by the Empire for colonization. Negotiation had been attempted, as was the Tau way, but ultimately had failed resulting in decades long conflicts. It had left an impression on the budding Vior’Lan culture, evolving it into what it was today. While other Septs built Ethereal temples that stretched into the sky or covered their cities with art, Vior'Lans saw potential threats everywhere and built accordingly.
Vel’ar stepped past the twin bulkhead doors, more belonging on a warship then a political center, and studied the room, leaving the Shas’Ui and his warriors outside. The Sept Council chamber was spartan and properly reflected the martial culture of the star systems it commanded. Simple furniture, hewn from ochre colored rock, centered around a vast round table at the room’s center. What few electronics there were had been cleverly hidden behind panels in the arm rests, while a large, domed chandelier projected bright, intense light overhead.
Alone, he let his eyes wander, noticing the subtle H’nal style script carved into the rock walls. The H’nal had been one of the first tribes of antiquity to join the Ethereals during the unification and had been a major contributor in the creation of the Caste system. Vior'La had had a large population of it's colonists that could find genealogical roots in the ancient tribe, clearly the architect had sought to connect Vior'La's spiritual center to distant T'au.
A door on the far side of the room, a private entrance, sighed open.
Aun’O D’teylioc was impressive, despite his advancing years and mangled body. Steel blue skin were criss crossed with scars both ritual and inflicted. Had it not been for the ridge of bone that denoted his Caste, D’teylioc could have passed for any Shas’O.
The High Ethereal wore customized battle armor instead of the tradition robes most Aun preferred. Vel'ar could see that a exoskeleton that had been incorporated with the armor, including a kinetic shield. D'teylioc was as much a warrior as a leader of Vior'La. It had been said that Aun’Shi himself had insisted on D’teylioc’s raising to High Ethereal despite numerous recommendation for the latter to ascend the council. Initially there were protests, as D'teylioc was T'au born and not Vior'La. But soon his successful guidance in the persecution of the Orks silenced any naysayers.
Vel’ar slammed a fist against his own breastplate and bent the knee. “Ko’vash Tau’Va!” He barked.
“We shall set aside customs and pleasantries this time, Shas’El. Time is short.” The Aun’O marched to the table and deftly typed in a request in a holo-projected keyboard that appeared. Caught off balance by the lack of decorum, Vel’ar slowly rose to his hoofs and joined the venerable Tau.
“I’m assuming Halat has told you of our Commander's disappearance?” D’teylioc didn’t wait for an answer, activating the tables holo projector. Floating before them was the telltale starmap of the Empire.
“Yes, your grace-”
“Gone. Yes. His entire fleet disappeared.” A red indicator at the edges of the Empire appeared. “And it’s not coming back.”
Vel’ar’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“An empire is not unlike a battlefield, Shas’El. Sometimes, we must command a cadre to undertake an impossible mission. The merit of our warriors is how they choose to get the job done. We are fortunate to not be like the Imperium. Our warriors are encouraged to interpret their orders rather than blindly obey.” D’teylioc sighed, shaking his head. “The High Council commanded Farsight to rebuild and strengthen our border...” He keyed a command, changing the image, outlining all the different Septs and territories of the Empire. "The Commander is fulfilling that mission."
“Could we not follow him?” Vel’ar felt as though a child again, asking questions from a being who’s charge was to lead millions.
“Some will want to. Farsight did the impossible many times and lead by example. The shame from our failure to support him during the Arkunasha campaigns is still fresh in many general’s minds. They’ll want to help him.”
Vel’ar felt his own indignation rise “And why not? Had it not been for the Commander; all of Vior’la would be burning under an Ork invasion.”
“This is not why I have asked you here, Shas’El.” D’teylioc waved a hand at the map. “There is a storm coming, a great tempest the likes of which we have never seen.” Vel’ar looked at the map, his eyes searching for a threat and finding none.
“Your highness?”
“The council I called today has marshaled every Shas’O in Vior’La, but it won’t stop there. Soon, word of the Commander’s disappearance is going to cause an ideological schism amongst all the people’s of the Empire. And it comes at our weakest hour.”
“I don’t understand my lord, how?” The Aun’O typed in new information and black, cancer like spheres began to appear around stars.
“The Septs themselves will vie to appoint a new high Commander to replace Farsight, this will take time and exhaust the High Council’s attention. Meanwhile, our borders are plagued by pirates from the Perdus Rift and the Hrenian Traverse. Our colonies and populations in the Lithesh region are under constant threat by rouge Imperial agents who spit on the Dal’yth Treaty they agreed to cycles ago.”
This was quickly becoming to great for Vel’ar to comprehend. He was a soldier and a leader of Cadres fighting to secure Vior’La’s border, why was he here?
It was as though D’teylioc suddenly sensed this and his tone softened to a degree that calmed Vel’ar’s doubts. “Shas’El. These are not your concern. Amidst all this confusion there is an undeniable danger that stalks us even now from beyond our homes.”
The image on the map ‘zoomed’ in on the Bork’An Sept, the southernmost colony worlds. Sickly purple arrows appeared, rising from the darkness of the Damocles Gulf.
“What is that?” Vel’ar asked.
D'teylioc was stone faced but Vel'ar saw an impossible anger in the Ethereals eyes.
“We don’t know. A cycle ago our forces were denied on a contested world named Gravalax. An enemy, unknown to us, somehow engineered the conflict there that forced us to withdraw by subverting the local human population. Now, Bork’An worlds and expeditionary fleets are going dark and we suspect the two events are related. The Empire is not ready to suffer another invasion, Shas’El, and so I have a task for you.”
“Anything, Aun’O.” D’teylioc smiled for the first time.
“This danger is not unknown to our leaders. The Council of the Highest has declared that an investigation be organized to discover this threat, and with luck, end it before it can gain momentum. It fell to me to choose the leader of this mission, and in light of Farsight's disappearance. I have chosen you.”
Vel’ar frowned. “I would not deny the honor of such a mission, but surely there are more able commanders for this task.”
D’teylioc closed the holo projector and nodded. “There are. But you have something the rest do not.”
“And that is?”
The Ethereal smiled. “You have no Cadre. Shas’Ar’Tol has ordered you to every part of the Cluster as an observer or a confidant for one Shas’O or another after your service on Dal’yth during the invasion.” As the Ethereal spoke Vel’ar’s service-file opened on the holo projection, flashing through past battlefield image captures and reports, as if illustrating D’teyliocs argument.
“Farsight is the most beloved Commander in our history, even more so than his predecesor Commander Puretide. Amongst the Fire Caste he is more than a leader, he is a symbol of our continued strength even after the Imperial attack that killed so many." D'teylioc put a hand on his shoulder where the human had shot him so long ago.
"You served directly under him to push a Titan phalanx back. You are one of our heros, Shas'El, and that’s useful too as it will fall to you to make contact with dozens of units in the field who might be untrustworthy as events unfold.”
D’teylioc waved an arm at the flashing information, stopping it at the current year.
“And finally. You have no Ta’lissera, no connections, no roots. After a mission is done you travel to the next theater and you don’t stay long. The Shas'O council call you Vior’Las ‘monat’. A position that has been undeniable difficult for you and what makes you something of an undesirable. But I see this as a strength.”
Vel’ar felt his face flush with embarrassment. “And how will that assist me?”
“Vior'La needs to prove it's worth. Our loyalty. The highest ranking officer in the entirety of the Empire has disappeared. He has jumped further into the abyss than any living Tau has, and without the guidance of the Ethereals. The other Septs will question his decisions, as will the member races and those that believe the Fire Caste has been weakened. They may choose to rise against our authority. Appointing you represents our continued service, to show Vior’La is strong.”
Vel’ar was silent. Comprehending a schism of any kind after two thousand years of unity was baffling to the very core of his being and training. He considered his own record and didn’t agree with Aun’O D’teylioc. But as a soldier, agreement did not matter.
“When do I depart, your Highness?”
D’teylioc smiled. The Aun'O depressed a panel on the computer, removing a data chip. He handed it to Vel'ar.
"This is what you will need to know."

Chapter 2: Name of Honor

Location: K’lasiian Drydock, Vior’La Sept space


K’lasiia was a star system on the very edges of Vior’La and served as a go-between the Inner Colonies and it’s own Sept space. A small, brown dwarf hung alone in the blackness of space without even enough gravity to sponsor a planetary system. The Kor had chosen this to be their secret staging point, building a kilometer long ring to provide support to missions that needed secrecy.
Vel’ar looked out of the viewport at the newly built vessel as it lay docked with the star port. Drone construction rigs flitted about it's hull making final inspections before the ship got underway. More organic looking than the traditional blocky starships Vel’ar had served on, it reminded him of some mighty aquatic animal. Four decks were centralized in it's middle, between the forward hammerhead prow weapon mounts and the massive aft quad-thruster assembly. Two ‘wings’ connected the entire vessel which, if Vel’ar had understood the tech-brief, would allow the ship to function in an atmosphere as well as make faster warp-transitions.
He had arrived only a day ago, the last part of D'teyliocs plan, but he knew the operation had already been underway for the past month. As a result, Vel'ar knew, he was playing catch up. He had removed himself to the upper observation decks so as to be out of the way and to read the exhaustive briefing concerning his mission, codenamed; Overwatch.
The mission outlines were vague, and Vel’ar had come to understand that the decision making fell almost exclusively on his own judgment. The goal was straightforward enough: Determine the enemy, investigate it's capabilities and prevent the it from acting on them.
To do that, the Empire’s best had built him the fastest, deadliest ship in the Empire.
So secret was the vessel's development that those Earth Caste and Water Caste scientists often had no idea what they were working on and only a few understood the entire picture. But it had been brought together in what would become the future of the Empire’s interstellar navy. As Vel'ar read the dossier, he could feel rather than hear, someone approach.
“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Vel’ar turned, then was forced to crane his neck upward.
It was a Kor, with rank markings of a ‘Vre’. Big, kind eyes, were framed in a youthful, friendly face. His hooves only brushed against the deck, suspended as he was by a anti-grav harness that had been form-fitted over his body. Besides this, he was also typical of his Caste. Pale blue skin, seemingly emaciated body, and completely hairless; the Kor had evolved to live in the near-weightlessness of space. This one's harness meant that he had had some kind of injury that made even low level gravity painful.
“She?”
The Kor chuckled, drifting toward the viewport and admiring the vessel.
“Her formal name is Fal’Shia Il’Porrui Pavol. But I don’t like saying my own name so often. I call her Strident.” There was pride in his voice, real emotion, like that of a father admiring his child.
Vel’ar reexamined the Kor before grinning, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shipmaster Pavol. And yes, the Strident is a very fine name for a ship.”
Pavol laughed, gently spinning to face Vel’ar. “The pleasure is mine, Shas’El Vel’ar. So, any word on where you’re taking us?”
Information had been kept rigidly secret since Vel’ar had first arrived to K’lassia. While Pavol had been ordered to move the Strident from it's location in the Fal'Shia Sept, he had not been told why. D’teylioc had allowed Vel'ar full access to anything he saw fit including classified information that had made him sweat and robbed him of sleep. But he was finally ready. Maybe it was fitting that his shipmaster be the first to know.
“The Perdus Rift.”
Pavol’s anti-grav suit seemed to falter for a moment, but his face broke with a smile. “Well then. Better make sure the shields are up and running. What are we looking for?”
Vel’ar decided, in that moment, that he would like this Pavol of Fal’Shia. “We’re hunting an alien species that, so far, has been hunting us.”
Pavol’s eyes narrowed, then, instead of asking further questions, he shrugged with an easy grin. “Well. The Strident is your ship, my lord. I was told you wanted a tour?”
“Yes, shipmaster, I would appreciate that greatly.”

Pavol spent the next six hours going over an exhaustive amount of detail about his ship. The Strident was wholly incredible. Technically, it was a ‘Emissary’ class frigate designed to be a kind of heavy transport with the weapons and defenses to deal with comparable Imperial ship classes. This new breed of ship was years from front-line testing, but the Fal'Shians had agreed to offer the latest in their creations to D'teylioc's cause.
Crewed by only sixty Air Caste, all of which Pavol knew by name and embarrassing story, the ship was heavily automated with a hive-like series of MI servers that ensured peak efficiency in every action taken. For weapons, the Strident boasted three heavy missile tubes, six rail guns, two ion canons and a four Interceptor fighter squadron with a single service shuttle. Defensively, there were dozens of missile batteries and pulse based turrets scattered strategically across the hull. Pavol had explained that, in addition to this point defense screen, the Strident had an improved generator that allowed it to sport three different energy shields that would overlap one another in a constant energy sphere.
White, brightly lit corridors linked the vessels chambers to one another in long, sloping paths which, Vel’ar saw, could easily be defended or even sealed and vented into space should the need arise. A single car grav-train ran along the spine of the ship for larger cargo and personnel.
Pavol’s crew were professional. All of them hailed from the Fal’Shia Sept where the Strident had been designed and built and were excited for it’s maiden voyage. Vel’ar only worried that this enthusiasm would diminish when they learned their mission.
Reaching the quarters on the second deck crammed between the forward launch bay and engine room, Pavol introduced Vel’ar to the first crewmember of his own Caste.
“Shas’Ui T’au Sia't, at your service, Shas’El.” Sia't was tall for a female and stunningly beautiful. Her jet black hair was tightly woven into braids that clung to her scalp, interwoven with copper wire and bleached bone ringlets. Her armor, a gleaming ochre, was immaculate with each segment well oiled to perfection. If her appearance was any indication of the seriousness of her profession, there was also a disturbing calm about her, almost as if shooting and killing were the same as eating and drinking.
“These are the vessel’s marines, sir.” Pavol said, drifting into the barracks room. There were six in total, each one proud and in perfect physical condition. He could see different Sept markings on each of their left-shoulder plates, but all shared the Ta’lissera bonding knife sigil over their hearts.
“You are bond-mates?”
Sia't nodded. “An Eldar raid on S’luss’t. Our Cadres were decimated and were reorganized by Commander Shadowsun. We now serve as one.”
Vel’ar looked each Shas’La over again. They were big, threatening, and he could make out excessive customization of gear and armor. They were the High Council’s ‘gift’ to the project, but Vel’ar also knew that he was looking at the Empire’s watchdogs.
Each of them turned to Vel’ar and bowed. He nodded back.
D’teylioc had warned that Sia't would be carefully briefed to ensure the mission fell within acceptable operational parameters. Such suspicion was not unheard of, but Vel’ar knew that he would need Sia't just as he must be mindful of her own duties.
“How long have you been on board the Strident, Shas’Ui?”
“We boarded in-transit over Tau’N, sir.”
“And how do you find this ship?”
She grinned. “Tight quarters, sir, I’d prefer an open plain. That and I don’t like the idea that the grav’ and atmo’ could turn off any second. One airlock makes an easy choke-point, but it also means we've got no other way out. Like a coffin.” He matched her smile. He could feel Pavol’s good humor suddenly falter at the criticism of his ship. The Fire Caste fought anywhere that the Greater Good demanded, but no one liked an artificial environment that could kill you if the generators failed.
“Then let’s hope we never get boarded.”
“Not with me flying, nothing’ll get close.” Only a hint of pout stained Pavol’s declaration. The Firewarrior’s all shared a chuckle.
“Carry on, Shas’Ui.”
“Kovash’tau’va.” Sia'tt turned back to her unit and they continued with their preparations. Vel’ar waited, watching the Shas'La, then exited with Pavol drifting behind him.

As the shipmaster and Shas’El left, Pavol hovered closer to Vel’ar conspiratorially.
“They are unusual, aren’t they?”
Vel’ar didn’t say anything and they continued in silence. Pavol tried again.
“As soon as they arrived they began modifying the barracks and reprogramming the drones we lent them, blocking out our access. I would have protested but their security codes--”
“Trumped your’s, correct?” They had reached a service elevator, entering it and keying the bridge. Only when the heavy blast doors closed did Vel’ar speak, knowing they were out of range of listening devices the Firewarriors had lined Deck 2 with.
“They aren’t regular line-warriors, Kor’Vre.”
“Oh no? Then who are they?”
“Aun’qath. They are the personal bodyguards of the Ethereals.”
Pavol considered this. “How can you tell?”
“It’s all in the details. They were polite, but Aun’qath have spent too long out of the chain of command and are used to serving the Ethereals directly. Usually, every warrior would bow until I left the room. They only waited until Sia't had acknowledged my dismissal. That and they’ve clearly bugged their rooms and the hallways. It’s all procedure for an Aun’qath detail. That and the cover story. Not uncommon for Shas to bond with non-Sept members, but with the rest of those details and you have your conclusion.”
Pavol frowned. “And there I was running my mouth. I’ll warn my crew to keep their opinions, on Deck 2, to themselves.”
“No. Let them have their secret. For now.”

They stood on the uppermost deck, the bridge, a broad rotunda overlooking the length of the ship. Four crewmen were at their posts in isolated cubicle-like stations which were arrayed about the shipmaster’s navigator pod. The pod was on a raised dais and looked like a redesigned TX-42’s chassis with hundreds of thick, black cables leading from it directly into the deck’s plating.
“Noticing the ‘Chair’ I see.” Pavol said with a grin, floating above the bridge and over the pod. It blossomed open as he neared it, allowing his frail body to land in a seated position, then it closed about him with a whisper.
“What does it do?” Vel’ar asked. There was a matching dais set behind the pod with a spartan holo-table and a crash couch. He assumed this is where he would sit and let himself fall into place behind the shipmaster.
“You Shas like to boast about your little suits. ‘What support systems will I get?’ Or, ‘Look, I can fly!’ Well, Shas’El Vel’ar, imagine being plugged into a starship.” The temperature on the bridge suddenly dropped, causing gooseflesh to ripple up and down Vel’ar’s exposed arms. When Pavol spoke again it was through the Strident’s speaker system.
“Imagine diving into the vash’aun’an, or flying through nebula. The Chair is based off your own battlesuit armor’s neural connect system, but only based. While you ‘feel’ what your suit experiences. I AM the Strident when I sit in the Chair.”
Vel’ar looked around the bridge and saw that every camera and drone had turned toward him. He grinned, shaking his head his head in amazement.
“So. When can we ditch the moorings and get going, sir?”

Vel'ar opened his personal computer terminal and looked at the information before him...

A thoroughly enjoyable story calmsword

I personally found your portrayal of Farsight very interesting. The impression ive always percieved of farsight through the codex and other pieces are of farsight "the renegade" or farsight "the traitor". I loved the portrayal of farsight "the hero". With him now being branded an outcast it is easy to forget him as being the one time much beloved supreme commander of the fire caste. Seeing him before he distanced himself from the empire is very refreshing. Even though he features directly only very briefly in your story, he comes across as extremely charasmatic. Very well written.

I also like the fact that you have shown Vel'ar not only as a lofty Shas'El, but also as a raw Shas'La. Im planning something similar for my Shas'O but at the moment I only have the beggining of the frame work laid out (its more or less mapped out in my head though )

I also enjoyed the description of the Strident and am intrigued to learn more of the ship as it sees action.

A great story, you have an interesting frame work and some solid characters already established. Ill be eagerly awaiting the next instalment


There are just a few corrections I picked up on. I hope you don't mind me bringing them up as they are meant only to help refine the story. I know that when I write my messy little pieces, Its very easy to miss little details or unclear sentences since I already know what the scene looks like in my head which fills in the gaps. Please inform me if I have misunderstood and there is in fact no mistake, in which case I apologise.

In the second paragraph of chapter 1: The water caste envoy Halat is referred to as a Por'O, Por'El and Por'Vre during their conversation. It is my understanding that a Tau can not hold more than one rank at a time.

In the final line of chapter 1: "“When do I depart, your highness?” D’teylioc smiled." makes it sound as if D'teylioc is saying the line as he smiles rather than responding to the line with a smile (am I correct in assuming that the line is in fact said by Vel'ar?)

There were a few other little things that I had to read over once or twice but thats more down to my comprehension than your writting.

Message Buoy 28-5-R1
+++++++
Sender: Aun'O T'au D'teylioc
Recipient: Shas'El Vior'La Vel'ar

Greetings, Shas'El Vel'ar

We have reports from the colony on New Ground that the local human population has been experiencing drastic infighting. This has not been uncommon as the original populations of humans have had to adopt the stragglers left behind during the Imperial withdrawal. Our last Messenger ship to this sector indicated a militant faction of 'True Believers' had occupied a residential complex in New Ground's colony center.

There is no permanent Tau presence on New Ground save for occasion Por anthropologists and traders who have stayed away from the internal conflict. There militia has been trained to deal with terrorist activities, but a formal request has been filed for Firewarriors.

Normally this would go through the parent Sept's command. However, our sources say these terrorists served in the Brimlock Dragoons. Their transport couldn't make warp transition and so they surrendered. We know the Imperials withdrew because of an external threat of some kind. These human's may know something.


-alternative course-

Sender: Por'El Bork'An L'raal
Recipient: Shas'El Vior'La Vel'ar

Greetings, Shas'El Vel'ar

My name is L'raal of Bork'An. We have lost contact with the colony world of Devvot on our eastern most fringe. His Excellency Aun'O D'teylioc has told me of your mission. I would formally request your assistance in investigating Devvot.

There is only a single population center numbering less then two hundred Por and Fio with minimal Shas. In addition we offered a Kroot tribe temporary habitation rights, numbers are less than fifty. Further details are attached to this message buoy.


----
Where should the Strident go?

SHADOW KAT: Thanks for the corrections, they're fixed. I had originally wanted Halat to be a Por'O, but I realized the Shas'El wouldn't be able to talk to such a high ranking Tau like that- nor would it make sense that a Por'O be used to request a Shas'El to report to the prime Ethereal.

Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it and don't worry about catching the holes that sometimes come up.

And I'm glad you like the story- Let me know if you think the 'choose it' adventure thing works.

Hey Calmsword, long time no see! I have really enjoyed the story so far. I agree with Shadow Kat that the portrayal of Farsight is refreshing. I've always felt he was a tragic figure; pursuing the greater good as he sees it, even if he must be branded a renegade.

Oh and I vote for option 2. Rebellions can be put down and the pro-Imperialists won't have much support from the larger Imperium. I say find out what made that colony go dark. It could point to a greater threat.

I'll wait to post the Strident's destination for tomorrow. Thanks Wolfs16, it has been a while- i've been stuck making a movie for the past year (hope you like Bane).

I think the "choose it" adventure thing works quite well in fact. Forgive me for saying it but it kind of gives me a similar feeling to the game mass effect. Person A and person B require your help, where would you like to take your super secret awesome space ship?

Id also like to cast my vote for option 2. As it stands now, the Tau have no reason to believe that the unknown threat they face and the one that the Imperium withdrew to fight against in their own territories are one and the same (though it is certainly possible). The Brimlocks may tell the empire all they ever wanted to know about Tyranids only to have it turn out that the Tau worlds are in fact being eaten by daemons for example.

Proceeding directly to investigate the silenced outpost seems like it would provide more reliable and relevant information. Surely there is another cadre that could handle the situation on New ground and once one of the Brimlocks is captured, Vel'ar could simply request a report from the interigator.

No need to ask forgiveness.

Honestly, I'd say that it's impossible to create anything these days without some kind of influence. You can't talk about dreaming anymore without bringing up inception for example.

My inspiration comes mostly out of the short stories in the Taros book and the old Zelda Choose-your-Adventure books. But I've played Mass Effect and probably liked the 'fly around and do your thing' the most out of any game i've played since halo.

As long as you're enjoying the story and my attempt to flesh out the periods between the Gulf crusade and the Third Sphere, I'm happy. If anything, there SHOULD be some cross over. We're dealing with an Empire of multiple species that are all small players in comparison to the enemies they have to deal with.

Although, I'll say it right now: There will NOT be Tau turning into robot zombies, a super duper weapon that makes everyone turn--(three options that don't make any sense involving color and a light show) ect. There WILL be team-building and a strong lead in to the foundations of the Third Sphere. I'll also be trying to stick to simple grammer. I don't know if you remember but, back in the day I tried making Project Tau keep track of all the Tau words out there along with conversion units just like Genmotty successfully did. While I love the vocab a lot of people get lost with the difference between tau'cyrs and years- so I'll stick with english and here and there you Fluff fanatics can enjoy looking up what a word/phrase means.

I completely agree. Mass effect didnt come up with the concept either, the developers will have drawn inspiration from any number of sources. Its how things naturally evolve from an old idea into something different. I heard a saying awhile ago that went something along the lines of; there are no new ideas, only repackaging of old ones.

I didnt mean to imply that you had drawn inspiration directly from mass effect though. Only that the choice part gave me a similar vibe (one I personally love).

I think we sort of already have robot zombies in the form of necrons though. Now that I think of it, as absurd as it sounds, a Pariah-esque conglomeration of tau and necron wouldnt be the strangest thing to happen in 40k. Probably best to stick with the path youve already got cooking up though .

Rest assured, I am thoroughly enjoying your story and must confess that i probably check back on this thread far more than is healthy for updates (this comment is being written while I am at work for example ..... sorry boss )

Far be it from me to give you advice but I think its probably a good idea to stick with english in most cases aswell. As strange as it sounds to us, there are a select few "normal" people who don't embrace the Tau culture as openly as we do. For any layman reading, our funny little words would only serve to confuse them. You could consider using certain Tau terminology in direct quoted speech however, could help with immersion.

Really well-written. There are a lot of possessive errors—"it's" when it should be "its"—but the story is really, really lovely to read. I'm not sure where these other doofuses are coming from—I wanna go to the Brimlock Dragoons on New Ground!

Chapter 3: Devvot

They came in the night. Moving effortlessly through the jungle canopy, they vaulted up the highest trees and came down behind the Tau colonies prefabricated walls. There were no warnings, no battle cries, nor screams from those sentries on the wall as their throats were ripped open, their bodies left in plain sight.
The four killers bypassed security checkpoints with terrifying ease, sliding past sentry guns and security cameras. Any Tau unfortunate enough to be in the direct way were quickly, and soundlessly, dispatched.
They reached the center of the colony within an hour of their infiltration. They stood, motionless, as they waited for their opportunity to enter the base. They didn't need to wait long.

Shas'La Bork'An Yok'u's stomach grumbled as he put a hand on his belly. Dinner wasn't sitting well with him, again. He had chided his teammate, Valom, that the Fio'La should stick to drone repair rather than try his hand at cooking. Another pang of discomfort made him belch. Honestly, nothing on this forsaken planet sat well with him, Valom's cooking aside.
The colony had been ratified and built a little over a year ago, Yok'us first posting after his graduation on Bork'An. It had been simple enough, a combination of escorting Earth Caste teams all over the planet and shooting a wild carnisaur if it got too close. What made it difficult was the food, the heat and the pollen. The Fio'Ui doctor had pumped him full of anti-histamines but to no avail.
He sneezed, spittle spraying from his mouth. He stood up from the observation desk in the security pod, dizzy.
"Come on, Yok'u," Shas'La Ali'yan pulled sanitary napkins from a dispenser on her desk, "Try to keep your mouth shut."
"You'd like that wouldn't you!" Another sneeze, this one drove his head back and he slammed it against the wall. Ali'yan laughed. They had been stationed together, working their way to the highest position a Shas'La could on this world, night-duty at Colony Command's security desk. What little work they had had to do was reduced to making fun of one another after the sensor array in the mountains had gone down. A Fio team and their Teamleader had been sent but had reported a bad storm that would delay their return.
"Go outside, get some fresh air." He wiped his face with the napkin.
"Because that will make a difference. Get me off this planet!"
Ali'yan grinned, "Two more months 'till review. Tough it out." He waved her off and stumbled up the walkway. Colony Command was the first building on Devvot, a large 'mushroom' like building that went down sixty feet but appeared only as a one story structure on the surface. He stopped for a moment as his body was scanned by the doorway's defensive drone. Once he got the all clear, the hatch door slid open.
It was another muggy night. The rings of habitation modules set about the center were quiet as the civilians slept. Flood lights mounted on the walls pointed to each building, casting long shadows in the moonless night.
Ali'yan was right, damn her, the air outside was strangely a relief. He stretched, easing the tightness in his body. Absently, he pulled a packet of xor'ar leaf. He bit into the narcotic, enjoying the sudden rush of juice, and chewed it lovingly. A nasty habit, but his favorite.
His eyes were closed in pleasure when a claw reached out from above and yanked him off his feet.

The Strident entered orbit around Devvot just as the planet's star crested the horizon. On the bridge, Pavol couldn't help but smile. They had had to make only three warp transitions to get halfway across the Cluster, and they had done it in record time. Any other ship in the Kor'vattra would have taken upwards of a month, they had taken a week.
"All crew, all crew, this is the Shipmaster. We have entered Devvot orbit and I am now authorizing a shuttle launch and a return to normal activities."

For all the Strident's advancements they were still using a regular drop ship. Ugly as it was cumbersome, it had enough room to house six XV-Crisis suits and a Cadre's worth of Firewarriors. For it to hold only Vel'ar and Sia'ts six-man team was comical, but it was what they had.
Vel'ar had, in the week of travel, made it a point to spend some time with Sia't and learn her team's names. Shas'La Cubor was her second in command, a big warrior from Sa'Cea, and doubled as a team coordinator and pilot for the shuttle. Shas'La Nuu'l, also from Sa'Cea, served as their tech specialist, a DX-4 Utility drone his constant companion. Shas'La Kel'Shan Jeth was a no nonsense close-quarters specialist. Armed with a heavy carbine, most of Jeth's body was covered in scars and bionics including his larynx making his voice an unnerving monotone.
Shas'La Tau'N Ghel'uun was the unit medic, probably the friendliest of Sia'ts team, armed only with a pulse pistol while his other arm was an Earth Caste service gauntlet that held his kit. The last Shas'La was from T'au, like Sia't, a grim looking warrior named Kro'le who sported the only non-pulse weapon, a miniature rail gun that Vel'ar had never seen before.
All in all, they were the most professional warriors Vel'ar had ever seen.
"Any word from the surface?" Sia't asked, priming a pulse rifle and securing it next to her seat.
"None." It wasn't the lack of interplanetary signal that bothered Vel'ar. Sensor towers were always unreliable due to stellar radiation or environmental factors. It was when they orbited the planet and a direct signal couldn't get through to the colony that Vel'ar worried. He plucked his own pulse rifle and slammed a fresh battery clip into the stock. "Ready?"
Sia't grinned and pulled her helmet on.

They landed just outside the Colony compound and made it on hoof toward the wall perimeter in silence. Vel'ar let Sia't issue her team commands, trusting in her discretion while he studied a continuous scan of the area being uploaded to him from the [i}Strident[/i]. Nothing was showing up but there was something wrong, they could all feel it, something that scans couldn't detect but a veteran's instinct whispered.
That whisper turned into a shout. The colony was a little over a kilometer in diameter, a square compound the Fio had used heavy flame throwers to kill the foliage before laying down foundations. Drone sentry hangars guarded the rectangular hatch which rose up on suspension above the wall. It was wide open and the drone hangars were ripped apart.
"Shas'Ui." Sia't turned when he spoke, then saw the entrance.
She raised a fist and the four warriors halted. She raised her index and thumb then gesticulated a flurry of battle-signs. Nuu'l and Jeth hustled forward. Jeth reached the gate, then gave the 'approach' sign. Sia't and Vel'ar pressed forward, Ghel'uun and his drone behind them.
"It doesn't look good, Shas'El." Jeth muttered as Vel'ar entered the colony. And it didn't.

Pieces of Water and Earth Caste bodies were scattered everywhere. Blood had congealed in arterial sprays up and down the walls and buildings or in shallow puddles on the dirt.
Less experienced warriors might panic or become sick at the sight of such violence. But these were Firewarriors of the Tau Empire.

They fanned out, covering one another. Jeth had the heavy carbine so he lead the way, checking each cross avenue between habitation modules. The doors had been torn open by something with incredible strength. Vel'ar could make out some plasma scoring here and there showing that the colonists had tried to defend themselves. But the shots were wide, scattered and undisciplined.
When they found the body of a Shas'La that was torn in half Vel'ar understood why. The service bars over the corpses chest plate read that it was his first tour.
"Rookies." Ghel'uun said. He bent over the disemboweled youth. He extended his left hand, the one with the utility pod.
"Why bother." Jeth muttered.
"Stow it, Jeth. What happened Ghel'uun?" The medic shook his head.
"His throat was cut, massive hemorrhaging. But all this," he pointed at the organs that had spilled out of the torso. "It looks like some kind of animal did this."
"There are carnivorous saurians in the report." Vel'ar said, shouldering his rifle.
"No." Ghel'uun said definitively, he pulled a long sliver of what looked like bone. "Chitin."
Vel'ar took the sliver from the medic. It was as rigid as bone but the edge was like a knife. There was a feint, yellowish, discoloration to it that made it seem poisonous.
"Bag it." He handed it back and Ghel'uun opened a chamber in the utility pod. "Let's get to the Colonial Center."

The first sign of the life came when Vel'ar heard the whine-snap of plasma fire. The Shas broke into groups of two and fanned out. Slipping between the densely packed buildings, they reached the Center at the same time.
Crawling across the courtyard, his right leg's hamstrings cut open and bleeding, was a Por'La. He was screaming, his voice ragged with terror and pain. There was a pulse pistol in his hand which he pointed without aiming, firing every few pitiful feet he dragged his body.
Vel'ar watched, waiting for an enemy to make itself present. After three random shots, one striking a few feet from Vel'ars hiding place behind a parked air car.
"How long can he keep shooting?" Vel'ar asked, annoyed.
"He won't overheat anytime soon firing like that. Pistols got enough rounds to last him all day." Sia't said after a moment. "Kro'le, you there?"
The sniper, Tau'va knew where he was, whispered after a moment over the comm. "Yes, Shas'Ui..."
"Can you see what he's shooting at?"
"Anything but himself."
"I say we toss a photon grenade and keep going." Jeth muttered.
Ghel'uun crept forward, leaning next to Vel'ar. "Shas'El, the Por'La is probably borderline psychotic after whatever happened here, a photon flash might cause a heart attack. It's a wonder he's alive to begin with."
Vel'ar considered this, then nodded to Sia't. The Shas'Ui handed handed her rifle to Ghel'uun who took it quickly. She then removed her helmet, handed that as well, then began walking toward the stricken Por'La.
The wounded civilian reacted to the movement expectantly. He shot first, screaming. The rounds were flew past Sia't, hitting the far wall of a hab-building, kicking up dirt from the ground, or flying entirely past her into the sky. Sia't did not alter her speed, her hands open unthreateningly. She closed the distance.
"Calm down, Por'La, I'm here to--" The Por'La screamed and aimed his pistol at point blank range and fired.

Nothing happened.

The Por'Las terror and rage turned to confusion and he looked at the pistol, tilting it toward him.
"Ui't!" Sia't cursed, grabbing the Por'La's wrist, twisting it and pulling the pistol out of his hand. In the same movement her armored gauntlet crashed into his jaw and sent him sprawling.
Vel'ar and the rest of the team rushed forward. Vel'ar came to stand by Sia't, Jeth behind him. Nuu'l and Ghel'uun both knelt over the Por'La.
"Are you okay?" Vel'ar asked.
"Fine."
"The 'Friend-or-Foe' safety was on, you're lucky." Nuu'l said, examining the pistol. Every weapon in the Empire had been designed with a rudimentary sensor that would prohibit discharge at any material with the same sensor. Sia't, as well as every warriors armor, had such a sensor.
Sia't dismissed her fortune. "Just get him to talk."

Thanks Didi- I write this in between work sessions at the office and Grammar, unfortunately, is the first casualty. When I get enough of a momentum going I'll go back and fix it.

And while I was excited, as well, to visit the Brimlock Dragoons, looks like its a 2/3 for the Bork'an outpost.

Hope you enjoy

At the end of the day, it is your story calmsword. If you wish to lead the strident to new ground, this lowly Shas'la would not dare question Shas'El Vel'ar's judgement

Having said that though, This "doofus" regrets nothing Enjoying the narrative unfolding on devvot (although I will concede that the Brimlock's likely would have had something to tell us about our chitinous friends).

They reached the camp's center just as Devvot's star began to make it's long descent. The Por'La was draped about Ghel'uun who carried him effortlessly at the center of their formation. The Center was a grande one story construct typical for a first phase colony like Devvot and had been the site of the heaviest fighting. The whole of the building was riddled with plasma fire, blackened craters the size of Vel'ars fist covered the building. And yet there was still no sign of an enemy. Firewarrior bodies had died where they fell. Vel'ar was at least proud that they had all died with weapons in their hands, facing the enemy. The same wounds that had killed the rest of the colonies civilians had been inflicted on the Shas. Great, curving slashes, had reduced many to tatters of flesh and gore.

"It's as if they were trying to hit something coming out of the compound." Nuu'l commented. "And look, there's no counter fire on any of the residential buildings." Vel'ar looked, and saw that Nuu'l was right. The residential buildings were in pristine condintion.
Sia't scanned the massacre and without emotion began to deduce what must have happened. "There must have been an alarm. Security teams on the walls or asleep must have rushed back here where they tried, and failed, to stop whatever had come out of here."
Vel'ar would have made the same deduction. There had been no reports of the Colony capturing anyone or anything, this place was supposed to be a research and refueling world for the rest of the Sept. The amount of damage done on the Center implied a full unit of Shas firing on full auto. Even 'green' troops stationed on colonies that were deemed safe would have hit something. They had to know what they were dealing with.
"There are Kroot on this world." Nuu'l piped up. Vel'ar had forgotten this but the tech was right, the Kroot had been offered co-habitation rights on the planet. "Why didn't the Colony ask for help from them?"
"They're migratory, who knows where they are until they want to be found. Besides, they like jungle worlds, the report only said they were offered a chance to live here, not serve in any direct capacity." Sia't said dismissively.
"Maybe they're the ones that did this." Jeth grumbled from his position on point.
Vel'ars face was hidden behind his helmet so the shock didn't betray him. "The Kroot are our allies, Shas'La."
Jeth shrugged. "You explain it then. They like putting the blade to their victims." Jeth gestured toward a Por'La woman who had died clutching her stomach. Putrefying organs had spilled out between her fingers.
"Stow it, Jeth, your not here to think." Sia't commanded. Jeth shrugged again, shouldering the lethal heavy carbine, and continuing on. Vel'ar didn't like this one bit.
"Secure the Center. Nuu'l, see if you can open that door." Vel'ar ordered.
Sia't and her team encircled and closed a perimeter around the Center as Nuu'l got to work. A low wall provided basic cover for the rest of the team. Vel'ar tapped Ghel'uun on his shoulder guard.
"I need him awake." He said, nodding to the Por'La.
"Clearly you've never spared with the Shas'Ui, sir." He waved at the purple black bruise spreading over the Por'La's comatose jaw. "She might have knocked him into next week. You want me to juice him?"
Vel'ar considered it. Juicing was a frowned upon practice of flooding a patients body with a mix of narcotics and stimulants. It would bring the Por'La back, but he'd suffer withdrawal, cramps and migraines. But Vel'ar needed answers before he spent another minute on this planet risking his mission before it had even really started.
"Do it."
Ghel'uun's utility pod opened, extending a fresh syringe which he delicately inserted into the Por'Las forearm. There was a moment as the chemicals swam to his heart then pulsed throughout his body. He spasmed, eyes opening wide. Ghel'uun calmly put a hand over the Por'La's mouth to stifle the scream that came a heartbeat after. White foam spilled out over the medics glove as the Por'La thrashed and fought with impotent fury. Vel'ar watched with disgust as, after the fight left him, the civilian defecated in his robes.
Jeth took one look then eased his way further down the wall, Ghel'uun didn't seem to take any notice. But slowly, the Por'Las eyes glazed over, his body sagging into a euphoric stupor. Ghel'uun checked his vitals, then nodded to Vel'ar to begin.
"Por'La. I am Shas'El Vel'ar, can you hear me?" The Por'La turned his head, a line of spittle drooling from his slackened mouth.
"You're here to save us!" The Por'La had a childlike voice, he couldn't be much older than a crecheling.
"Yes. What is your name, Por'La?"
"Av'wol... My name is Av'wol. Please save us." Tears blossomed in his eyes. "You have to stop them, they're killing everyone. You have to get to the nursery." Vel'ar had seen butchery of every kind in a lifetime of service, but the pitiful Av'wol that lay before him stirred something in him. Rage.
"We will try, Av'wol. But first I need to know what did this?" Av'wols head sagged away from him, as though Vel'ars voice were somehow hurting him.
"I don't know... They came last night." Vel'ar looked over to Nuu'l who turn and raised two fingers; 'two minutes' as he worked to open the door. "There was an alarm, I'm in charge of the nursery. There was so much shooting, shooting! SHOOTING!" Av'wol pushed himself up to a sitting position, his eyes growing wide again in horror. Ghel'uun put his hand on him to try and calm him.
"The warriors, they went to stop them. We thought it was just in the Center, but there were more! They were inside! How did they get inside?"
"You need to calm down, Av'wol. Did you see anything?"
"I... I... They cut us up, cut my leg, cut cut cut. They're not real!" Foam was coming up again on the corners of his mouth.
"He'll go into shock if I don't sedate him soon, Shas'El." Ghel'uun said clinically and without emotion.
Vel'ar grabbed the Por'La, "What do you mean they're not real? Tell me Av'wol!"
He was spasming again, his body shuddering as his own heart began to kill him. "Myan'sin!" Av'wols eyes rolled in the back of his head and he sunk back to the ground. Vel'ar let go and Ghel'uun quickly inserted a new injection into the Por'La.
"Stay with him, we'll bring him back with us. Nuu'l?"
"Done." The Center's hatch door opened.

No worries about the grammar, Calmsword, I can't stress enough how much of a pleasure the story is to read. Small grammatical errors happen, but they do next to nothing to diminish the tale. Despite being on Devvot, I'm still eagerly awaiting the next installments.

You will see. This was the right decision. - Wolfs16

Nuu’l and his drone, Sia’t and Vel’ar entered the Colonial Center, weapons up and ready. The rest, along with the comatose Av’wol, remained fortified outside of the base.
The sloping corridor down was littered with destroyed equipment, further plasma scorch marks and cyan Tau blood. The lights still worked, long panels set into the floor and ceiling, but there was still no sign of life.
“What did he say to you?” Sia’t asked as she took point followed by Vel’ar.
“Nothing.” Vel’ar answered, unable to mask his disappointment.
“That word, ‘Myan’sin’, that’s in a dialect I do not know.” She was pressing for information so Vel’ar decided to give it to her.
“I wouldn’t expect you. Av’wol is probably from an older Bork’An colony where they still practice ancestor worship, probably Ky’ra. A lot of the First Phase backwaters still do. The word is in old Tau’Sia, basically, ‘ghost’. Ky’ras not prohibited, but it’s superstitious nonsense.”
“Like the Au’t’Suam festivals on Vior’La?” Ghel’uun asked, sarcasm barely accenting his voice.
Vel’ar scowled. “Au’t’Suam is a celebration of our planet’s natural seasonal shift-”
“Where you thank the two stars for the planet’s continued existence. I knew a Vior’Lan who still kept the ritual even when we were on a mission in the Skythoan Void."
Sia't chuckled and Vel'ar felt himself blush.
"Regardless. So, ghosts did this? That's going to be what we report?" Sia't asked.
"What else am I supposed to say?"
The three Firewarriors continued in silence until they reached a security checkpoint that guarded an elevator shaft. Vel'ar activated the controls to summon the lift, but nothing happened. Nuu'l checked it.
"There's a passcode..." His fingers flashed across the screen's keyboard. After a moment it turned green. "Nothing too it." There was a hum as the platform neared.
"Watch it." Vel'ar cautioned, raising his rifle to the door. "But be careful..."
The elevator arrived, doors opening.
There was the briefest a silence as the bloody, defiant, Shas'La aimed a pistol at Shas'El Vel'ars face. She was sweating, without a helmet on, and a long lateral slash across he armor. Both her eyes were wide with exhaustion but her mouth was sit in a grim line. Her topknot had been let out so that her hair fell in a cascade, the right side of her skull shaved close to the scalp.
In turn, she saw three fully armed Firewarriors who's own expressions were masked by their visored helmets. She checked their unit markings, rank, insignia, then and only then did she lower her weapon.

"I thought you were them. My apologies, Shas'El, Shas'Ui, brother Shas'La." Her voice exposed her exhaustion. Vel'ar lowered his own rifle.
"That's alright. Who are you?" Vel'ar took his helmet off, for courtesies sake.
"Shas'La Bork'An Ali'yan, security cadre for Duvvot." She holstered the pistol. "And it's good to see a friendly face. I've got ten surviving colonial scientists down below who need evac. Is your transport outside, sir?"
"We're only investigating this incident, the shuttle is about a klick out."
Ali'yans eyes widened, "No! They'll tear it to pieces! You have to call your pilot and tell him to get out of there!"
"What the shtlk does that mean?" Sia't was already bringing her rifle back up and had a hand on her comm. link.
Outside, the sudden explosions of weapons fire rang out. Sia't was already running, Nuu'l behind her. Vel'ar took one last look at Ali'yan then slapped his helmet back onto his suit and was running.
"They were waiting for you to open the door! You have to close it!" She yelled after them.

Jeth was laying down an enormous amount of fire with his heavy carbine, blowing huge holes out of buildings in a sweeping pattern. Ghel'uun had his utility pods manipulators out holding his pistol while his right hand held the still comatose Por'La down.
Sia't through herself against the low wall followed by Nuu'l who took two shots in the general direction of Jeth's fire then crouched behind the wall. Vel'ar matched the precautionary shots and leaned, looking out to find the enemy.
"What in all the hells is going on?" Sia't barked.
Jeth grunted, turning over and priming a fresh battery clip into the carbine.
"Sht'lkan, I saw something on the second floor. We tried to hail it and then it shot that at us!" He pointed to a three long needle-like bone protrusions in the wall.
Vel'ar look at the shards and saw they matched in colorization to the splinter Ghel'uun had found earlier.
"But you can't identify?" Vel'ar asked. Jeth shook his head and finished priming the carbine. "Then hold your fire." He stood.
Sia't hissed as she rose with the rest of the team, "What are you doing, sir?"
"I'm tired of wondering what's going on." He scanned the residential buildings. He waited until the dust settled. The shadows were growing longer as the sun was setting, soon it would be night. Vel'ar flicked through several visual spectrums until he reached thermal. The world swam with cold blues and dimming orange markers where plasma rounds cooled. Then he saw the outline of three warm bodies crouched on the rooftop and behind window portals in the buildings.
Vel'ar dialed up his suit's speakers all the way, "My name is Shas'El Vel'ar of the Tau Empire! This is our world you have defiled! Show yourself!"
His voice echoed across the courtyard. Only silence responded until, faintly, there was a gasp as dust kicked up from an invisible impact.
Sia't kept her rifle up. "Sir?"
"Hold." He could still see the thermal imaging, the amorphous patterns of whatever was hiding had clumped together and were walking forward. He cycled to 'normal' vision and saw nothing.
"Cloakers, they're using cloaks." He brought his rifle up and fired a round in the dirt just before the invisible bogey. A dirt cloud kicked up, falling on an active cloak system, giving it an outline. It was tall, taller than a Tau. As if in resignation of their identification, the cloaks turned off one by one.
There were three of them, seven feet tall, lithe figures with the predatory gait of bred predators. Form fitting body armor covered their bodies in a style that Vel'ar had never seen before. He could see that their heads were enclosed in a complex helmet/facemask that stretched into a point behind the cranium, not unlike his own X-1 line armor. Four baleful red lenses glowed above respirators that fed into the forward snout area creating an eery, wholly alien, appearance. There was not an inch of them exposed to the elements.
They were armed too, the two that remained in flanked position had cruel looking blades that folded up their forearms or were strapped to their legs along with dozens of trophies that had been tied in place. Vel'ar saw that many were the blue fingers of Tau. Leading the trio was a being armed with a long, curving blade that looked as if it were made from bone, along with an organic looking weapon on it's wrist that Vel'ar had never seen before.
"What the-" Nuu'l began.
"Shut it!" Sia't drew a bead on the lead alien's head.
The trio stopped at the edge of the compound, regarding the heavily armed Tau without fear. Vel'ar stepped over the wall, hands outstretched in parley. He could feel Sia't wanting to protest, but he was in charge.

"Why have you done this?" He shouted, his voice edged with anger. The lead alien turned to his compatriots and gurgled something in a blast of binary code. Then it looked to Vel'ar. There was a strange, rattling sound, and it spoke.
"We seek to reverse the mistakes our forefather's made, that your Empire did profit from." It was in Tau'sia, a strange dialect only stranger with the helmet's vocal filter. "But. This was not meant to be. The female behind you, she prevented our entry to the facility."
Vel'ar looked behind him and saw that Ali'yan had joined Sia'ts team. Ten frightened, bewildered civilians of the Earth and Water Caste, huddled in the doorway.
"You have killed civilians, non-combatants, I demand to know why?" Vel'ar's fists tightened. One of the aliens hands had opened over a sheathed knife. It's fingers were multi-jointed, four opposable thumbs, sealed in gauntlets and tipped with metal claws.
"These are the realities of progress. The female refused our entry and summoned her compatriots resulting in the conflict you see here."
"That is how you justify what your people have done?"
"It is no less than what your Empire has done to mine." The lead alien gripped it's bone blade and stamped it's foot against the ground.

"Three of them killed two hundred colonists? Impossible." Sia'ts voice whispered in his ear; she had opened a solo-channel with him, only he could hear her and vice versa. "There must be more."
"Did you get through to the shuttle?"
"Cubor said someone took a shot at him, he's on his way."
"Then we hold out until he gets here."
"We could try to bag one. I've never seen that type of tech, and who knows what they look like underneath. I don't know, sir, talk our way or shoot our way. It's your call."


...

Shooting or Talking? YOU DECIDE!

Very nice updates! I really like the way you've portrayed each member of the squad and the banter gives some cool details. I'm really enjoying this!

Okay, now if these 3 killed the entire defense cadre, then they must be tough. But perhaps they had the advantage of surprise and the fact that the standing cadre was composed of mainly inexperienced Firewarriors. Since they got the drop on them, the aliens probably used the confusion to inflict the most damage. So with Vel'ar's team being better equipped and more experienced, they would probably be able to stand a chance in a fight, if not win all together. Yet these aliens don't even seem scared of Tau aiming weapons at them! Also, there's the fact that there are a bunch of civilians to worry about still.

If they tried to reason with them, perhaps they can figure out what the aliens want. They seem to have a goal, not just simply slaughter. If their objective can be determined, maybe they can come to an understanding and leave in peace. But the alien does seem like it hates the Tau and its people have suffered from the Empire's expanse, so it might want the Tau dead regardless. However, it didn't spit venom and hate when speaking with Vel'ar, so perhaps it can be reasoned with? Yet, it seems to fit the description of a Dark Eldar (pointed helmet, blades, grisly trophies), so discussion might be pointless.

With all this said, I think the team should try to talk. If the talks devolve into fighting, then hey, at least they tried. But if they can avoid a fight and understand the threat they face, then I will go for that option.