Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 134

*Bork'an Sept*

The view from orbit was spectacular. One could see the vast sweep of the planet below, its landmass and pristine seas dotted with drifting clouds, the thin blue line of the atmosphere a tiny membrane holding back the chill of the void above. Yet it was the glittering lights hanging in space that caught the eye. Nestled into the night side of Bork'an shoals of orbitals hung, their sweeping domes and trailing spines housing millions of Air Caste Tau. Shipyards blazed with activity and defence platforms swept local space for threats. Habitats brooded and communication buoys pinged messages back and forth, creating a web of life in the cold darkness of space.

Bork'an was one of the oldest and most productive worlds of the Empire and it showed. Ships came from distant stars, carrying goods and personnel to and from faraway Septs. Armadas of shuttles darted between them, ferrying supplies between stations and the long lines of ships settling into orbit. Many of them were in a dire state, battered and broken by the fierce currents of the sub-realm. The galaxy was awash with calamity and even the Tau had noted the growing turbulence in the realm some races called the Warp. Though they only skimmed the surface of that mysterious abyss their ships were yet beset by turbulence and far too many vessels had been lost in recent Tau'cyr. Hence the shipyards of Bork'an were busier than ever, repairing, refitting and building replacements as fast as they were able.

Alohvar looked upon the work of his people and tried to tell himself it was enough. The Shas'El and his comrades had been summoned into orbit at last, to meet envoys of the Shas'O council and receive their new mission. The four were waiting in a plain vestibule, one with a proud view of the dockyards. The room was tasteful in its simplicity, white walls with subtle hints of colour, sweeping angles that eliminated any right angles and a broad transparisteel window that looked to the heavens. All was as the Tau liked it, right down to the floating drone in the corner, standing by to offer refreshments if required.

Currently the foursome were examining a ship moving against the stars. A massive craft, far longer than any station, running up its drives as it lifted from orbit and broke for deep space. Its flanks were festooned by launch bays and its prow bore gravitic hooks, to carry defence frigates. Its rear did not blaze with plasma wash, as an Imperial vessel would, instead it accelerated smoothly via gravitic drive, continuously projecting a gravity incline ahead of its bow, so it eternally fell through space.

Bruch'ich eyed the ship and commented, "Explorer-class. An old vessel, dating back to the Second Sphere Expansion."

Teq'ila looked confused as he queried, "How can you tell?"

Bruch'ich explained, "Look at the engine section, there's no Ether drive installed. ZFR Horizon accelerator engine, she's planning to cross the stars at sub-luminal speed."

Spiy'tus exclaimed, "But that is obsolete technology! How can they do such a thing when we have Ether drives?!"

Teq'ila sniffed, "Ether drives are no longer safe or reliable. Old that technology may be, but it at least guarantees arriving alive. For some certainty of life is worth adding a few years to a transit."

"Cowards," Spiy'tus spat, "What is life without risk?!"

"You seem personally offended," Bruch'ich commented.

Spiy'tus spat, "The Greater Good must advance! We move forwards not backwards. The slow-cryoships of the First Sphere took decades to cross a light-year, a thousand Tau'cyr passed to found only eight Septs. The Horizon drive took us to near-luminal speeds, making the Second Sphere possible. Then came the Ether Drive, which broke the tyranny of relativity and let us reach for the furthest stars. Always the trend is for faster engines, not slower."

"Which propelled us across the Damocles Gulf and into conflict with the Imperium," Alohvar finally spoke, "Some would say we moved too fast, driving into the wider galaxy before we were ready."

Spiy'tus retorted, "We must progress, to fall back on outdated technologies is to admit defeat. The Greater Good cannot be denied!"

"I don't argue that," Alohvar sighed, "Yet we've all seen what's out there, the dangers and nightmares of the galaxy. We know the future of the Tau will be claimed only with fire and blood. Those who remain in the heart of the Empire have not seen, they do not understand and would panic if the truth came out. If the heart of the Empire implodes distant borders will collapse for want of support and resupply. The other Castes must be made to feel secure in their homes. If that means clinging to old technologies it is a small price to pay."

Spiy'tus and Bruch'ich bowed their heads in acceptance but Teq'ila peered out of the window and mused, "They would feel more secure were there some true warships here. I see no Hero or Protector cruisers, no Custodian Battleships. Where is the might of the Air Caste?"

"The Kor'vattra is as busy as the Fire Caste," Bruch'ich intoned, "Every ship is needed to hold the borders."

"Then why are we here?" mused Spiy'tus.

"I think we are about to find out," Alohvar stated.

A soft tread behind him revealed three Tau warriors entering the vestibule. They were old by Tau standards, their faces weathered and greying, yet their top knots were long and festooned with rings. Shas'O, the highest tier of the Fire Caste's leadership, honoured and venerable veterans of many wars, commanders of the military arm of the Empire. Yet they came to the lower-ranking warriors, not demanding the juniors be brought before them, a natural display of the egalitarianism of the Tau.

The foursome bowed to the newcomers as a mark of respect, whose leader looked upon them and queried, "Shas'El, Bork'an, Alohvar?"

"I am he, Honoured Shas'O," Alohvar replied.

The leader bowed and presented his comrades, "This is Shas'O Vior'la, Junt'a, here is Shas'O Sa'cea M'ink'a and I am Shas'O T'au Vias'me. We speak for the Shas'O council."

Alohavr was stunned; to be briefed by a Commander born of T'au itself was a deep honour. All were equal in the Empire, but some were more equal than others and those born of the homeworld were esteemed greatly. Held to be wiser and more sophisticated than those of younger Septs, it was a sign of great regard to be meeting such an individual.

Alohvar bowed again and asked, "How may we serve the Greater Good?"

Junt'a replied with the curt tones of those born to Vior'la, "You can start by telling us what is going on beyond the Startide Nexus!"

"I beg pardon?" Alohvar asked in surprise.

"You heard us," M'ink'a growled with the aggression of Sa'cea, "What are the leaders of the Fifth Sphere playing at?!"

Alohvar was put back and spluttered, "I do not understand, surely you know more than I."

Vias'me held up a greying hand in a sign of peace as he explained, "Understand that the flow of information from the front lines is tightly controlled by the Most Honoured Ethereals. Little to nothing is being relayed of what is occurring in the Nem'yar Atoll, save unlikely stories of worlds conquered that bear little resemblance to the reports we receive of fleets lost and Contingents ground down to nothing. Many in the Shas'O council feel we are being excluded from important decisions, that we are being denied the right to review strategy, as is our appointed function."

M'ink'a growled, "All we get is spiralling demands for more Cadres and ships and no word on how they are being used."

Junt'a added, "The Startide Nexus is sucking our Empire dry, leaving other fronts exposed and undermanned."

Alohvar swallowed as he realised he probably knew more of what was occurring beyond the Empire's borders than the highest levels of his own Caste. The Ethereals were tightly controlling information, denying the existence of existential horrors and covering up the nightmares that walked abroad. Alohvar couldn't explain what he knew either, partially because he was ordered not to tell anyone what he had seen but mostly because none would believe him. Nobody who hadn't seen the reality would believe such things were possible.

Slowly Alohvar said, "I cannot report more than the Ethereals allow, but surely you know we face a formidable enemy: D'eth gurd."

M'ink'a sniffed, "The Gue'ron'sha move to deny us, this was to be expected."

"They are…" Alohavar said, "They are not typical Gue'ron'sha. A previously unknown variety, they fight in a manner unseen. They… weaponised disease and pollution."

Junt'a snorted, "A dirty way of fighting but that does not explain these staggering casualties."

"With respect, you do not see. The spreading of disease is an end unto itself to the D'eth Gurd. They do not use it as a means of conquest; it is almost like territory means nothing to them. Spreading contagion seems more important to them than a line on a map. And they have… allies."

Vias'me nodded, "Yes, there have been odd reports of contact with an unknown alien race. The descriptions are frustratingly vague, but they seem to possess a novel form of teleportation technology."

Alohvar couldn't begin to explain what he had seen, the horrors rising from festering bodies of the infected to rend and slay and could only limply answer, "That is broadly correct."

Vias'me looked at him as he growled, "Does this explain why you bombed a refugee camp?!"

"Excuse me," Alohvar retorted.

M'ink'a snapped, "We read the report of your actions. You were assigned protection of Gren'thul Refugee Camp. When it was attacked you called down missiles on your own position, while surrounded by thousands of civilians fleeing warzones!"

Junt'a hissed, "This makes us question your commitment to the Greater Good."

"You weren't there!" Teq'ila interrupted, "You don't know what we saw…"

Alohvar cut him off as he retorted, "I told you, the enemy seeks to spread disease as an objective in itself. They… infiltrated the camp and… set loose their pathogens. The infections were running rampant, those civilians were already dead, there was no helping them. Far more was at stake than one camp, the whole warfront could have collapsed if the contagion was given free rein. The only chance to prevent further contamination was to purge the camp with fire. I called down a missile strike on my own position. I did not expect to survive, I had no plan to survive and I have paid for that choice with my own blood. Look upon my injuries and tell me that I would have done such a thing if there was any other possible solution."

It was the blandest and most sanitised version of events. Alohvar had left out the gibbering horrors running amok, the bodies bursting to birth walking abominations. He had left out the laughing madmen who floated above the ground, launching green lightning from their fingertips and the victims who screamed as their decaying bodies spawned capering jesters before their dying eyes. Yet Vias'me seemed mollified as he said, "I sense there is more but the Ethereals have forbidden any official investigation into this affair. Thus we must clear you for duty, but where is still within our remit."

M'ink'a hissed, "Some said we should promote you to Shas'O and make you chief factor for counting Pulse Rifle magazines."

Junt'a added, "Or send you to command a listening post, watching Orks on frozen moons."

Alohvar's guts clenched but he kept a stern face as he replied, "As the Greater Good requires."

Yet Vias'me sighed, "These things were discussed but we have another problem. A special mission has arisen, requiring a commander with experience of atypical situations. Tell me, what do you know of the AL-38 Slipstream Module?"

Alohvar blinked at the odd question and replied, "It was the Earth's Caste's attempt to match Imperial super-luminal velocity. A true sub-realm engine, as opposed to skimming the edges as an Ether drive does. It was an unmitigated failure; the disaster at Numear Point devastated the Fourth Sphere Expansion. Thousands of ships lost when they activated their drives, ripping spacetime apart. True, in a convoluted manner we don't understand it created the Startide Nexus, but the Slipstream drive was banned afterwards."

Vias'me's voice fell as he said, "That is partially true… but not the whole truth. Intense analysis afterwards revealed the disaster occurred because too many drives were activated, in too close proximity. Used singularly, the Slipstream drive has proven effective."

Bruch'ich gasped, "You're still using it?!"

M'ink'a snapped, "We have no choice, the dangers encroaching our borders are too many and we too few. We are stretched thin and the Fifth Sphere is drawing away all our best. We can't afford to spend Kia'rottas shipping Cadres between warzones, when we could do so in mere Rotaas."

"But what of the losses?" Alohvar asked.

"Unacceptably high," Vias'me lamented, "But we must press on, matching Imperial superluminal velocity is essential for the Greater Good to progress."

Junt'a said, "We have determined that sub-realm travel is dependent upon safe navigation. To steer through that realm is the key to unlocking the potential of the Slipstream drive. The Earth Caste has promised to develop a directional computator but…"

M'ink'a scoffed, "When it comes to anything to do with the sub-realm the Earth-caste is long on promise and short on results."

Vias'me elaborated, "Lacking a technological solution we decided to steal an idea from the Imperials. We know they have a caste dedicated exclusively to steering the sub-realm, Na'vig'ators, they call them. Our attempts to capture one have fallen short but we have an alternative. The Niccassar species have spent Tau'cyr training their finest psychic minds to steer the sub-realm and trial runs have proved highly effective. Our test ship has crossed the Empire and back in record-breaking times but the Ethereals remain unconvinced and plan to shut down the program, they dislike being dependent on frail organic minds. To prove this system works we must push it further, a journey that will take our ship beyond the borders of known space."

"And this ship will need protection in case they run into trouble," Alohvar guessed.

"Indeed," Vias'me confirmed, "Your orders are to take a Seeker Cadre onto the test vessel and protect it during its voyage. See what you find out there, explore the darkness and scout out possible avenues for future conquests, then return to us with proof this system works."

Alohvar bowed in acceptance but in his heart he was troubled. He was going to be part of testing an experimental and unproven technique of interstellar travel. He would be going where no Tau had gone before and would be the first to encounter the dangers lurking in the unknown reaches. But what troubled him the most was what had gone unsaid; that the main reason he had been selected for this mission was that if he failed to return he would not be missed. The Shas'O council had made it plain that they considered him and all his comrades expendable.