Chapter 10
Before the Storm
Author's Note 1: Star Wars and Warhammer are the property of Lucas Arts and Games Workshop respectively. I make no profit from posting this story.
Author's Note 2: Hello again everyone. Sorry this update took so long, but a lot of things have been happening to me lately. Mainly that I have started my final semester at University and a lot of my time and resources are going to the mass of coursework flying out, not to mention a several thousand word long dissertation, updates on all of my stories will be considerably slow until at least May or June.
With a flash of light the Guardian returned to real-space, main com systems already broadcasting the necessary codes to stand down the response squadrons. In front of her was the green and blue orb of their new fortress amongst the stars, the uncharted world of Haven. Already the Star Destroyers Defender and Liberty had rerouted their courses from their regular patrol route to flank the much larger flagship as she lumbered into high orbit.
From the bridge Joseph Halos looked down upon their temporary home, mentally going through the list of objectives which had been met since their arrival. They had come so far in the few months since they had found this system, but they still had a very long way to go.
The fleet had already set up two Tabanna gas siphoning platforms in low orbit around the neighbouring gas giant, which were utilising their automated systems to siphon the precious gases from the thick clouds in the planet's atmosphere. According to the good doctor they would be able to build an additional three when they had mined enough resources and precious metals from the systems asteroid belt.
A small space station had been built and deployed right in the middle of the belt, with automated laser and light turbolaser cannons to protect her from any asteroids that were on a collision course. The small station had a small crew of a hundred and fifty, with a dozen small mining vessels designed to mine the asteroids for precious metals and other plausible construction materials.
On the planet itself work was already progressing on building a settlement with the portable base as its centre. His officers on the ground assured him that, with the proper time and manpower the settlement could become a real boon for his fleet, able to manufacture anything they needed from food to weapons. Already enough housing and amenities had been built for between fifty and a hundred thousand people, with more on the way.
The system had become theirs; this was their home away from home. But this was not where it was going to end. Halos had no plans to simply throw away his ships and starting a new life on a planet, hoping that no one would come to wipe them out. If he and his people were to survive then they needed to get stronger. They needed a bigger population; they needed more ships for defence and more ability for infrastructure.
That was why he had decided to help the peoples of the surrounding systems. He had studied the Imperium of Mankind from reports from his SpecOps Division, who had seeded agents into every inhabited world for several light-years. Through this network he and his intelligence division learned firsthand what the main power in the galaxy was like, and the data given to him by his Eldar associates seemed to be correct.
The Imperium of Man wasn't anything like the Galactic Alliance, or even the Galactic Empire. The Imperium of Mankind was a dystopian empire with a rigid social structure. Its member worlds were only loosely held together with the central nerve centre, Terra. Technology was slowly becoming a myth, almost a religious institution in and of itself, and extreme persecution of those who questioned the morality or validity of the endless conflicts and divine rule of the Emperor was punished without mercy or hesitation.
They had no Holonet, nor any other way for quick communication, meaning that emergency maydays may take weeks or even months to reach the proper authorities and by then the planet or system or sector could be already under enemy control. Faster-than-light travel was unpredictable and dangerous to those who choose to risk it. What was worse was the number of enemies the Imperium faced, Ork warbands, Tyranid splinter fleets and Chaos pirates who pillaged, plundered or downright destroyed any lightly fortified settlement worlds along the fringe.
These people were dying, they were suffering, and they needed help. Help was what he gave them. He could not commit his fleet to a full defensive action against the invaders, that would lead to their imminent destruction, so instead he assembled his fleet to save as many people as possible, evacuate them from their besieged worlds, protect their refugee shipping and destroying as many enemy patrols as safely possible.
The refugees from the Hand of Salvation were only the most recent in a string of saved refugee populations, albeit the biggest in terms of population. Since they began operations in the region they had successfully protected nine refugee fleets, and gained the secretive and subtle support of another dozen surrounding planets with whom they had offered assistance.
Of these refugee fleets and evacuated populations over three hundred thousand people had flooded under their banner, seeing the superior technology and goodwill of the Alliance as a far-cry from the Imperium of Man. The influx of new recruits was almost too much for them to take, if not for the fact that most people had come from backgrounds of work and labour, and as such a mass of men and women had volunteered to help build settlements, outposts and farming communities on the planet.
They were ahead of schedule, which astounded the Admiral.
Then there were the mass of people who volunteered for positions within the fleet and army, around a tenth of their new population had volunteered for service in the Alliance armed forces, being trained as Troopers, Marines, Pilots, and even a handful had been accepted to SpecOps and SpecForce. The losses the fleet had suffered had been repaid.
"Admiral,"
He turned to see Gabriel walking up the walkway to him, a small datapad held in his hand. Halos waited until his friend was standing beside him before he spoke. "Yes Gabriel, what is it?"
"Medical tests, and some interesting results with our latest batch of new recruits," Gabriel replied as he handed the Admiral his datapad. "You know the basic format of medical exams within the GFFA, right?"
"Indeed I do," Joseph replied as he screened over the information, two had been flagged. "Each person is given a full medical evaluation including blood work, physical and mental health."
"And a small test to check the Midichlorian count within a patient." Gabriel added.
Joseph nodded. It was a fairly new development, introduced at the behest of the New Jedi Order after the Yuuzhan Vong War, but when a full medical was deemed necessary a Midichlorian count was one of the lesser tests which were applied. It was nothing special; a prick of the patient's blood was inputted into a specialised datapad, where the patient's force-sensitivity was checked.
He read the names of the two patients, both women, Alana Varne and Marie Saunders. Alana was a teenager, sixteen years old, daughter to a PDF Colonel and an Imperial Guard Lieutenant. Marie was a farmer's wife, mother of one and thirty standard years of age. Both looked like ordinary women, but the Midichlorian count proved otherwise. Marie had a count of twelve thousand, while Alana had a count of sixteen thousand, making both of them quite power force-sensitive beings, well above the norm in force-sensitivity.
He had read of Midichlorians when he was younger, more out of curiosity than anything else. The number needed to be even considered for training was roughly seven thousand, and the number of an average Jedi was around ten thousand, anything of twelve thousand and above was considered quite special among the ranks of the Old Order.
Gabriel had shared with him that his and his sisters Midichlorian count was roughly thirteen thousand each, and the Grand Jedi Masters, who was one of the most powerful living Jedi to date, had a count of roughly around twenty thousand. Basically at such a level they could drag capital-ships from orbit and fight at odds of roughly a hundred to one.
But one thing worried him.
"It says here that Varne has suffered through considerable mental and physical trauma, and was forced to watch her mother being raped and murdered by the same band." Halos pointed out as he scrolled down the information. "Her mental exam suggests that she is suffering from post traumatic stress."
"I am hoping that giving her something to do will help her in her recovery," Gabriel replied sadly. "There are people within the Jedi who may be able to help her, Master Sitra has suffered similarly."
"So do you want me to conscript these two into becoming Jedi?"
He frowned, "You know that's not how we do things."
He was right. During the time of the Galactic Republic the Jedi Order was known for taking force-sensitive children from their homes, no matter the wealth or influence of the family. It had been a controversial argument at the time, and was one of the main reasons for the order of old being ostracised from the common people.
The New Jedi Order operated on very different principles, potential recruits joined because they wanted too, and their parents were more than welcome to come with them so long as they had a skill which would be beneficial. The old ways of 'no attachments' and 'no family' had died with the old Order, and Jedi of the resurrected Order were actually encouraged to live life like any normal person, explore, fall in love, raise a family. It was one of the secrets to the new Orders success.
"So you want to ask them to volunteer?"
"That's the plan." Gabriel replied. "We're short on numbers out here, plus with their Midichlorian count they will need to be taken in for training to harness and control it."
"If you can get them to volunteer then I won't have a problem with it,"
"Thank you, Admiral."
Gabrielle and Jaden were waiting for him outside of the entrance of the medical bay, Gabrielle leaning against the wall with her arms folded while Jaden stood a few feet away. Gabriel nodded briefly to the two of them before taking a peek through the closed glass double doors which led to the main medical centres of the Star Dreadnought.
"Are the two of them in there?" Gabriel asked.
Jaden nodded his head, "Marie Saunders and her daughter were released with a clean bill of health. Alana Varne is a different case. According to the medical reports she suffered considerable trauma, and is being kept overnight for observation."
"She's sleeping right now," Gabrielle added. "Poor thing was exhausted."
The Master of the group nodded his head, "Should we go in?"
"Now or never," Gabrielle stated simply as she straightened herself and walked towards the double doors, which opened automatically to allow her entrance. Gabriel and Jaden looked at each other before shrugging and following their female compatriot into the room.
The main medical bay was a hive of activity, wounded Troopers and civilians were being tended to by the facilities faculty of medics, nurses and doctors. There were so many people in need of help that the medics were being swamped, so they had asked for volunteers among the military. Gabriel could see men and women in Trooper and Pilot uniform aiding the medical teams. He knew that Hossk and Dani were in here somewhere, giving aide in any way that they could.
He walked through the crowd, seeing some wounded lying on stretchers and sitting in chairs because there weren't enough beds to go around. Most of the patients weren't even wounded, but were plagued with conditions like malnutrition and dehydration because their ships supplies of food and water had run out a week before they found them.
Finally the Jedi reached the bed assigned to Varne, curtains were drawn to give the occupants some privacy from the controlled chaos around them. Gabriel was just able to make out the shadows of three people before he pulled back the curtain and entered. Alana was sitting in her bed, kept upright by thick pillows. She looked pale and exhausted; eyes were dim and almost lifeless. Marie was sitting at her bedside, talking to the younger girl while her four year old daughter was fast asleep on her lap.
Both women looked up as the three Jedi entered and were surprised when the three of them adopted basic Jedi introductions and bowed their heads. "I apologise for intruding, but I was wondering if we could talk to the two of you."
Alana perked up upon hearing his voice, and looked up with a sad smile. "I know your voice; you're the one who saved me."
Gabriel smiled softly, "I'm happy you remember me. My name is Gabriel Sabbath. This is my sister Gabrielle and Jaden Korr. May we sit down?"
Alana nodded, motioning to a couple of empty chairs against the wall, "Please do."
The three Jedi quickly took their seats. "I take it your name is Alana Varne, and you are Marie Saunders, correct?"
Both girls nodded, and Marie spoke for them. "That's right."
"Awe," Gabrielle said as she saw Sonya, still sound asleep. "Is this your little girl?"
Marie nodded.
"She's so adorable," his twin whispered. "What's her name?"
"Sonya," Marie answered with a soft smile.
"Gabrielle, don't coddle," Gabriel chided half heartedly. "Let the little one sleep. We need to speak with you two. As you know we give each civilian who enters the fleet a full medical including physical and mental examinations, but there is another test we give you, which is called a Midichlorian test."
Jaden took over for Gabriel, "It's not that different from your run-of-the-mill blood test, you should remember it. We take a drop of your blood and place it in a specialised datapad for analysis, through this we determine how many Midichlorian's one possesses."
"Excuse me," Marie asks with a frown. "But what are Midichlorians?"
Gabrielle answered, "Midichlorians are intelligent microscopic life forms that live symbiotically inside the cells of all living things. All living beings possess them at some level, and if they exist in sufficient numbers within a person then they would be considered force-sensitive, capable of incredible psychic feats. That is what we Jedi are, we are an order of psychic beings, monks and warriors who strive to use our gifts to help protect those around us."
Marie frowned, "So you're Psychers?"
"Not exactly," Gabriel replied. "As far as we are able to gather Psychers are people who have a connection with an alternate reality known as the Immaterium, and use their powers at the risk of their very souls. Is that about right?"
Marie nodded.
"A force-sensitive gains his or her power not from an alternate dimension, but by the living environment around them. We have the abilities to lift objects with our mind, bend the elements to our will and sense almost every living organism of what you would call the Material realm," Gabriel continued. "For example."
He reached out with his hand and made a simple motion, levitating the chair Marie and Sonya were sitting in by a meter. With a mischievous smile he then rotated it in a perfect three hundred and sixty degree angle before depositing it and its one awake, now pale occupant back down to the metal decking. "That is just a basic of what we are able to do, and it is just one of many things you can learn if you accept our offer of training."
Gabrielle turned to her brother and frowned, "You didn't need to scare the poor woman."
Gabriel shrugged in return, "Why spent an hour trying to explain it when you can spend a minute showing them, saves time."
"So we are both capable of using this force?" Alana spoke up, knees brought up to her chest.
"With the proper training and guidance, which is what we are offering," Gabriel answered with a soft smile. "But let me be clear, we are not going to force you into anything you don't want to do. You are well within your rights to turn our offer down and return to your normal lives."
Marie was silent, but Alana took over the reins. "What about daemonic possession, or backlash."
"There are no daemonic entities inhabiting the force, it isn't an alternate dimension. The only dangers are with a person's own emotions. If you allow your desires of hatred, revenge, greed, fear or power to control you then you will find the lure of the force to much. As for backlash, well it depends on how strong one is with the force."
Both were silent for the longest moment, debating in their minds on the next course of action to take. Alana was the first to speak. "I'll do it, I'll join."
Gabriel looked her in the eyes, "If you are accepting our offer because of a need for revenge or to gain the powers to destroy then we cannot help you."
She shook her head, flailing her mane of blonde locks. "That's not it. I'm joining to do for others what you did for me. You saved my life Gabriel Sabbath, and that's what I want to become. I want to be able to protect others, to stop the forces of Chaos from defiling another life, plus I have nothing left, I need to start anew and with you is better than with no one at all."
Marie was silent for a moment longer before lowering her head, "If I take up your offer, allow you to train me in becoming a Jedi, then will I be able to protect those precious to me, will I be able to protect my daughter, to never again feel as useless as I felt when the Tyranids were falling from the skies?"
"To take up our training to protect is what we ask for. If you take up the training, and become a Jedi then you will be able to protect those that you hold dear." Jaden answered. "But the training is long, and can be challenging. There will be times when you will be separated from your daughter, where your duties as a Jedi will take you to far off worlds. Can you do that?"
Marie nodded, "If it means I can protect my daughter then yes."
Gabriel smiled before rising, "Then welcome to the Jedi Knights. Sleeping quarters have been set out for the two of you, Gabrielle will take you too them when you are both feeling able. Get a good night's rest, because by tomorrow morning you will be given a Master and you're training will begin." He looked down at Alana with a soft smile. "Are you well enough to travel, or will we come get you here?"
Alana shook her head, "I think they want to keep me here overnight."
"Very well,"
"We have a contact at the edge of the system,"
Halos almost dropped his cup of Caf as he spun around, hitting a few runes on his holotable. A holographic image of the section flickered to existence, showing one of the outer planets in the system, the second furthest one out from the sun. A single blip appeared in the centre, basic information on length, width, energy discharge and trajectory scrolling down from the left side.
"Scramble outer scouting squadrons," he ordered. "Contact the nearest Star Destroyer and order them to plot an intercept course, which is out there?"
"Captain Verge and the Dauntless,"
"Send the word!"
"Asteroid One reports launching scouting unit B-77, designation Shadow Wolves." His communications officer shouted. "Five minutes till interception."
Asteroid One was exactly what its name suggested. A huge kilometre long mass of rock situated at the edge of the asteroid belt, hollowed out by construction droids and converted into a makeshift sensor and launch station, with a population of a hundred scientists and security, as well as a scouting squadron of eight X-Wings and two Blastboats.
"Take us to yellow alert," Joseph ordered before turning to Sor'ai. "And send word to the rest of the fleet to assemble around Haven, basic defence pattern Dodonna-7."
"We have word from advanced scouts," his communications officer called out. "Unknown vessel has spotted them and are honing in on their position, awaiting orders."
"Wait until they're within range," Halos ordered. "If they prove hostile then they may engage with extreme prejudice."
"Wolf Leader this is Guardian control. If unknown contacts prove hostile then engage with extreme prejudice, over."
"Copy that control," Shadow Wolf 1, also known as Lieutenant Shanti Delvin replied, hitting a few runes on her dash to bring up her X-wings long range sensors to the frontal viewscreen. "Will have long range visual contact within twenty seconds, all Wolves lock S-foils in attack positions."
She flicked a switch and heard the low whine of her snubfighters wings as they parted, bringing online her ships laser cannons and proton torpedo launchers. The change from speed to battle slowed her vessel down to half of its speed beforehand; however it gave her enough firepower to make up for the change.
The three X-wings surrounding her followed her decision, setting their S-foils into attack position and assembling into a diamond formation with her at the front. The fifth vessel in the formation, the larger, streamlined Skipray Blastboat moved a little ahead of its smaller escort, using its stronger shields and numerically superior weapons to protect the X-wings from any opening barrage.
"Unknown target within range of long range sensors,"
"Do you have visual?"
"Yes Commander."
"Patch it through to Guardian Control."
"Yes Commander."
"Admiral we're getting visuals."
Halos looked at his main sensory officer with a nod, "Put it on the main holotable."
"Aye sir."
Halos leaned against the holotable, well aware of Sor'ai and a few senior officers waiting for the images to flow through. It was a small picket, the same design as the one they ran into when they entered this galaxy. Sleek and elegant in design it's colour patterns were different from the bone white and lush green of Farseer Macha's Destroyer, instead the colour scheme of this ship was bleached white and black.
"Unknown vessel identified as a Hemlock-class Destroyer, light picket and recon vessel under use of the Eldar Craftworlds, by colour scheme and symbols I would say it belongs to the Craftworld of Ulthwe."
Halos didn't respond as his sensory officer reported the information. He had already memorised the vessels in service to the Eldar, as well as those known to be under the control of the Imperium of Mankind and a few other, smaller nations of the eastern fringe. Why are you here? He thought to himself before turning to Sor'ai. "Hail them and ask for their intentions."
Before his communications officer could finish dialing in the hailing frequencies a holographic image flickered to life right in front of the Admiral, like a mirage only seen in a desert. The image flickered for several seconds before stabilising, revealing an Eldar male fully garbed in wraithbone armour of black and white, armoured helm held under his right arm to show a sharp featured, pale skinned face with a shaved head, hair done up in a topknot and eyes a piercing crimson.
"Admiral Halos," the Eldar male spoke, voice slightly distorted and image flickering. "I am Warlock Asima of the Ulthwe Craftworld. I am guessing that our Biel-Tan cousins have told you of us?"
"Indeed they have Warlock," Halos replied with a nod. "Couldn't you have used the communications to make your arrival known? We almost blew you out of the sky."
"Something we will have to remember then Admiral." The Warlock tilted his head to the side for a moment before continuing. "Around three standard months ago you asked Farseer Macha of Biel-Tan to keep an eye out for any vessels which match the description of your own, correct?"
"Do you have news on one of our ships?"
The Eldar nodded his head, several images appearing around him as he did so. Halos scanned these images carefully and immediately recognised the close ups of a Star Destroyer, four large dome shaped bulges on its hull distinguishing the vessel as an Interdictor-class and that could only mean one thing.
"That's the Bulwark."
"Are we positive that it's the Bulwark?" Rosso asked as her own holographic image flickered, unlike the Eldar equivalent which gave full colour and movement, almost as if you were talking to the actual being on the other end, the Alliance technology was at least a few generations behind with the figures of the Advisory council appearing in shades of blues and greys.
"Without a doubt," Halos replied. "I have double checked the information, and the Eldar haven't led us astray before."
"That was with the Biel-Tan faction Admiral," Lissana pointed out with a frown. "From what little we know each faction of these Craftworld Eldar are diverse and have different values. What's stopping them from removing us as a potential threat?"
"Good point," the Admiral conceded. "But we have taken precautions. A half dozen probe droids retrofitted with the latest stealth technology have been dispatched to verify the information. Once we receive word back then we will know whether these Ulthwe were lying to us or not."
Gabriel raised his brow, "How did the Ulthwe representative take it?"
"He shrugged and conceded,"
"Which means he's not lying," Mathews frowned as he leaned forward, smoking one of his customary Kuati cigars.
Silence fell across the council for a few moments before Rosso spoke, "Where is the Bulwark supposed to be?"
"On a planet called Kronus, located in a star system right on the line between the Tau Empire and the Imperium," Halos answered. "From what we can tell it is a heavily contested area with Tau, Imperial, Eldar, traitor and Ork forces vying for it."
"Heavily contested?" Lissana asked. "How badly contested?"
"From what little information we know of the Tau and Imperim are engaged in heavy fleet activity in the system, and there is heavy fighting taking place on the planet itself." Halos answered without pause. "From what the first reports gleamed there are at least five or six different factions vying for control."
"Would the Eldar presence in the Kronus system be Ulthwe?"
"It is, which makes me think they want our help in exchange for finding and helping to retrieve the Bulwark." Halos said with a frown.
"Have they said as much?"
"No, but it's too much of a coincidence for them to just return her to us without asking for something in return."
Silence once again prevailed in the small meeting room, and it was some time before the Admiral noticed that out of his advisors Gabriel had contributed least to the conversation. The Jedi Master was leaning back in his chair, frowning and deep in thought, "Something on your mind, Master Sabbath?"
Gabriel gave him a wry look, "I haven't said anything."
"Exactly," Halos replied. "Your silence is thunderous."
Gabriel sighed, "It just doesn't seem right, why are the Eldar there?"
"To conquer the planet," the Specforce Colonel conveyed.
"No, doesn't sound right," Gabriel replied as he leaned forward. "The Eldar have become a space-faring race, living in their Craftworlds, their mobile fortresses. Why would they launch an invasion on this particular planet, in the middle of a warzone, far away from their bases of operations? For all intents and purposes there is no real reason for them to be there, so that asks the question of why. Why are they there?"
The room was silent for a moment before Halos answered the Jedi Masters rhetorical question. "Well said, it's something we don't know about."
"The Eldar are a race that, in my opinion, doesn't do anything without good reason," Gabriel was looking up at the ceiling of the small meeting chamber. "They wouldn't move a sizable force into a system, far away from their homes, with no real threat against them, without a very good reason."
"So are you saying we should help them?"
"Not at all," Gabriel replied to the Professors question. "I'm simply suggesting that we take a longer look."
"Either way we have to secure the Bulwark and get her out of there." Rosso intervened, "if they have that ship then they get all of our technologies, and that would take away all of our advantages."
"I agree," Colonel Mathews nodded his head as he spoke, stamping out his cigar on a nearby ashtray. "We cannot afford to give potential enemy states anything which would give them an advantage. If the Imperium gained our Hyperspace engines, or our Holonet, Turbolaser and shielding technology then all of our advantages would be thrust out the window."
"Then we're in agreement," Halos stood up, followed by the other members of the council. "We have to retrieve the Bulwark. The Guardian will be assigned to this operation, and I need three Captains to volunteer their ships as escorts."
Rosso smiled ruefully at him, "Hoping that the size of our trump card will scare away the competition."
"It's bigger than anything the enemy has in the system."
"That's assuming if the Eldar's intel is trustworthy." Mathews reminded.
"It has to be," Gabriel replied. "They want our help with something in exchange, and in order to get that help they need our ships and the soldiers within.