Chapter 3
Revelations
"However I would like to know were we are. I have never heard of an Imperium of Mankind, Chaos or Eldar"
Admiral Joseph Halos
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The noises of the hanger bay silenced themselves as the Eldar shuttle glided through the ray shields and settled down on the metal decking, all around the bay mechanics, pilots and soldiers alike stopped what they were doing.
A squad of eight Alliance Honor Guard marched up silently, their blue robes snapping as they walked and stood in a line at attention beside the descending ramp.
Admiral Halos and his entourage of six fleet captains and one Jedi Master stood a few feet away from the last guard and watched as four Eldar descended the ramp. They're armour was black and white in color with crest shaped helmets, two of the Eldar were armed with strange long blasters with narrow barrels, another wore a black robe along with her armour and held a double-bladed sword, the leader had his helmet tucked under his arm showing a head slightly taller and narrower than the average humans with pointed ears and intelligent eyes that scanned the hanger as he walked.
The unsheathed weapons made the Honor Guard tighten their grips on their rifles and Master Sabbath place a hand on his lightsabre. The Eldar were standing right in front of them now and Halos could see that they stood a head taller than an average human.
"I am Commander Sersa of the Ulthwé Craftworld" he introduced "This is Warlock Taldeer"
"I am Admiral Halos of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances" Halos replied, not for a moment intimidated by the weapons held in their hands "Welcome to the Vigilance"
"Thank you Admiral" Sersa replied "May we take these negotiations to a more convenient setting?"
Halos nodded "We have the briefing room ready Commander, if you'll just follow us"
The Alliance officers lead the Eldar down the labyrinth of corridors to the commanding officers briefing room, the Eldar Warlock and Commander took seats at one side of the table, their guards standing at attention behind them while the Alliance officers sat at the other.
"I would like to thank you for your assistance Commander" Halos began "Without your help we may be floating in vacuum by now"
"No thanks needed Admiral" Sersa replied.
"However I would like to know were we are" Halos added "I have never heard of an Imperium of Mankind, Chaos or Eldar"
"From what the Farseer council has told me you and you're people have been thrown from one galaxy to another" Sersa answered "They sensed a massive distortion in the warp and sent us to investigate"
The officers of the Alliance fell silent for a moment, thrown from one galaxy to another, they just hoped that they were transported to the unknown regions and that they would be able to get back within a day or two. If what this Eldar told them was true then they were stuck in a dangerous galaxy that they knew next to nothing about.
"Sensed, does that mean your Farseers are psychic?" Master Sabbath asked finally.
"Our entire race is psychic…Jedi Master Sabbath" Taldeer replied, Gabriel didn't ask how she knew; he sensed her brushing his mind but didn't bother bringing up any shields, if first contact with these people was going to be successful then they needed to see that the Alliance was no threat to them. The other captains glanced between the two wondering how she knew the Jedi's name.
"Admiral Halos" Sersa said "Normally we Eldar do not interfere with other races unless our people's lives were at stake; however the Farseers foresee that you and your people will be very important to the future of this galaxy"
"However we cannot give you any real assistance yet Admiral" Warlock Taldeer added "The future is still very uncertain. We are willing however to upgrade your shields and engines to protect you against the warp"
"Why do we need protection against this warp?" Captain Rosso of the Vengeance asked.
"The warp is very dangerous in this galaxy captain" Taldeer explained "It is infested with monsters known as Daemons that would kill anyone not protected by a Geller field, you're shields are similar to Geller fields but need a little modification" She paused for a moment "The Daemons also infest your style of faster than light travel, although they're presence is greatly weakened there they are still a danger"
"In that case we will gladly accept your assistance" Halos replied.
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Two days passed and the modifications were completed, the Eldar technicians, known as Bonesingers worked with the Alliance technicians and mechanics to add the upgrades and modifications to the shields and engines, the nasal exhausts had changed in colour from an ion blue to a violet as the engines were upgraded and tests on the shields had shown their durability increased twofold.
Admiral Halos glanced around the briefing room, all six of his captains were present, the Jedi Master choose to survey the final modifications to the Spirit of Ithor to allow Captain Severi to attend the meeting.
His six fleet captains were Florn of the Vigilance, Rosso of the Vengeance, Mynn of the Firestorm, Severi of the Spirit of Ithor, Verge of the Guardian and Terik of the Dominance.
"If what the Commander says was true then we're stuck in a galaxy unknown to us" Severi said, her red eyes were widened in disbelief "We don't know potential allies from potential threats"
"Indeed" Mynn agreed, the female Togruta seemed to be leaning on her chair for support "But at least with the galaxy maps the Eldar gave us we'll know where we're going"
"And the Eldar have told us who to stay away from" Florn added.
"But the Commander also said that the borders are always changing" Terik pointed out.
"Everyone calm down" Halos said soothingly, suddenly wishing he had a Jedi's ability to calm a mind "If we start to panic than we won't survive long, it is clear that although the Eldar are willing to trade and offer advice to us they are not willing to fight for us"
"Then what do you think our next move should be Admiral?" Florn asked.
"We return to the Magos System once the modifications are complete" Halos said and raised a hand to silence the protests "We contact the Space Marines and ask for help, if what Sersa told me was true the Blood Raven reinforcements refused to fire upon us, that means they wished to make contact"
"Sir" Captain Rosso interjected softly, a strand of long red hair sweeping across her delicate features "What if they ambush us on arrival"
"That captain is why myself and Florn are going alone on the Vigilance" Halos replied "The rest of the fleet is to stay behind until we send a transmission, only move to Magos if it is myself or the captain that signals you…clear" he stopped to look over the worried faces of his captains before continuing "If we are ambushed then Captain Rosso is in charge, you are to head for the Tau border and see if they are willing to help…understand"
Rosso opened her mouth to protest but shut it again, like Halos she was from the Imperial remnant, she served with him from as far back as the end of the Galactic Civil War and the two have been close friends ever since. He knew that she would go with him if she was given the chance.
"Meeting is adjourned" Halos said and rose from his chair.
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As the Vigilance broke away from the Alliance formation Halos was speaking to Sersa whose fleet had formed up and were beginning to jump into their style of faster than light travel, the webway.
"The Blood Ravens are no fools Admiral" Sersa reassured "Unlike some elements of the Imperium armed forces they know when to fire and when to talk"
"I hope so Commander" Halos said.
"I know so Admiral" Sersa said confidently "Farewell"
The last Eldar cruiser jumped into the warp and Halos turned to the bridge crew, ordering the Vigilance to jump, a rift opened ahead of the Star destroyer and sucked the cruiser in, Halos looked in awe and horror at the space that surrounded her, the specks of light that represented the stars that flew by the hull ranged from thousands of different colours and seemed to ripple slightly, the Star Destroyer shook slightly from stem to sturn almost as if something was hitting the shields.
The Eldar had warned him about the tainting that the warp inflicted on every style of faster than light travel within this galaxy but Halos didn't believe it until he saw it, as the Admiral sat on his command chair he mentally prepared himself for more journeys like this to come.
How was that? The Alliance has an idea as to where they are, the Eldar are willing to trade with the Alliance but not fight with them…yet, and Halos is going to try and speak with the Imperium without resorting to firing. In the next chapter its what you've been waiting for, what happened to the Yuuzhan Vong, they meet a race just as cruel and merciless as they are…I know just what race to use, don't forget to review…May the Force be With You.
Question, Eldar do use teleporters but can they use them to transport strike teams onto ships that have lost shields?