APIEN CREST BOUNDARY
TURIAN TERRITORY
NOVEMBER 15th, 2188
IT WAS A POCKET OF BRIGHTLY-COLOURED GAS turian astronomers called 'The Chime', due to its magnetically twisted radio emissions giving off a musical note every twelve seconds. In fact, The Chime had been so regular for so long, many outlying turian colonies set their clocks to the thing. It had been formed roughly six hundred million years ago, the remnant of an outgassing star that had wandered past. Due to the gravitational influence of the nearby star Opalanus, the Chime had stabilized and remained as its parent had meandered on. Aside from its clockwork musical noise, it was stable and aside from an occasional gravitational twitch that would change the pitch of the 'chime', it was not particularly remarkable.
A ripple flowed suddenly through the gas cloud, expanding out from a single point. A moment later there was a great inrush of gas and it seemed to boil for a moment around a single spot before being violently ejected away. For the first time in recorded turian history, the Chime went silent.
Where the Chime had been now floated a vessel of immense size, a kilometers-long cylinder in an elegant arc with graceful curved spires that projected backward like skeletal wings. It was the colour of fresh drying blood, covered with symbols in a stark glacial white. Flanking this ship were two others, dwarfed but each easily the size of an arm of the Citadel, these shaped like short tulwars, as curved and as deadly. These vessels were a stark bone-white, etched with black symbols of The Word.
The enormous cylinder was called Eternal Note, its flanking vessels Harmony and Discordance. Onboard the Eternal Note, its Captain, called 'Requiem of the Slain' commanded the thousand Inquisitoria that were the vessel's only crew. On the bridge, all was efficiency and silence, no words wasted, no movements unnecessary. Before the Captain hung a huge holomap which updated itself every few seconds as covert vessels scattered throughout the Galaxy transmitted cartographical and intelligence data. Arrayed in banks before the Captain were her bridge crew, her command post suspended above them. Wrapped around her station were her controls and monitoring equipment. A light flashed and she pressed a key below it.
"Report."
"Relay Herald Key Signal, widebeam dispersal. Sent: Lost Afield. Duty alert 212. Follows additional – Operations T11. Telemetry follows."
"Display."
Before her a section of the holomap zoomed in and a series of coordinates rolled past. Information was cycled through the HUD of her helmet. It had been marked with a threat level. The Captain noted it. A Herald was lost but duty to the Beloved was eternal. The 'duty alert' told fellow Inquisitors that special actions were warranted. The 'T11' was a code for untamed and unfettered witches.
The Echo prevailed because it did not hesitate to speak. The Endless conquered because they did not hesitate to act. There could be no errors when all had been ordained. There was no shame in being Lost as long as Duty was upheld. As this was clearly the case, Requiem of the Slain would honour her brethren's warning and render aid where necessary.
"Discordance."
The Captain of the Discordance answered instantly.
"Acknowledged." Coordinates were sent.
"Investigate and dispatch. Total threat response authorized. Do not operate beyond prescribed barriers."
"Acknowledged." The Discordance turned gracefully from the Eternal Note's side and Folded immediately.
An Inquisitor had labeled it a threat.
Any threat against the Inevitable was a threat most dire.
All were treated equally.