A Lifeboat Adrift (Stellaris x Warhammer 40k)

[Trisurya]

Fio'vre Ka'buto looked at the holo-displays with trepidation, as did the rest of his team. On it was a triumphant display of the T'au empire's technological might and ingenuity, as hundred of ships, taking care to emphasize the sleek and factory-fresh sheen of the T'au vessels from the humble Manta to the vast Or'es El'leath carrier. Some brief shots and overview of Nicassar Dhows, Kroot Warspheres, Vespid Nest Vessels, Greet Stealthers, and even some repurposed Imperial ships ensured that those that embrace the Greater Good have their spot in the limelight, however short it may be. They hung in the void before Numenor Point, ready for the next step in the T'au Empire' glorious history.

Decades spent scouring through the gue'la' confusingly primitive yet advanced technology. Following multiple false leads, conducting tests which broke labs, orbitals, and cost countless Earth Caste lives. It was all worth it, as now, with him contributing in no small part, his team had come up with what had made the Fourth Sphere Expeditionary Fleet possible; the AL-38 Splistream Module. This anti-matter engine, proved and tested through hundreds of tests and trials would carry forth the T'au Empire through the fires of the Damocles Gulf and claim the awaiting galaxy for their own.

At least, that was the plan.

"There is nothing to worry about. The calculation have been triple-checked, the simulations run-" Ka'buto heard the small whisperings of his assistant, Wiseword, and thought it a mirror to his own thoughts. That they were all doing as their duty commanded them did little to assuage his fears of the repercussion that would come should they fail at such a grand project. At best it would be censure or perhaps a fall through ranks back into a Fio'la or even Fio'saal. At worst? Ka'buto could not even imagine such a thing, and perhaps that was for the best.

"Ten. Nine. Eight." Ka'buto breathed hard though his nasal chasm, taking care to calm himself down with a quick game of reciting through all the elements of the periodic table from the heaviest to the lightest, including their isotopes.

"Seven. Six. Five." Halfway through the list, an errant thought derailed the Ka'buto concentration completely. What if we're all wrong? His hands turned into fists as he tried to reorder his thoughts once more, managing at least to keep his gaze fixed utterly to the holo-display before him. He will face whatever comes.

"Four. Three. Two."

He has no regrets.

"One."

All at once, space was lit up by the glow of anti-matter bubbles shimmering into existence around T'au and ally vessels alike. That brief of beacon of hope and progress quickly turned to horror as space was ripped apart at the seams all around the fleet. And from within this wound came forth misshapen things and colors that bleed the mind of all who saw them. The flicker of fusion-jets turned into full reverse thrust only belied the futility of such an action, as the darkness of unreality swallowed whole every craft that was within reach, leaving behind nothing but a vortex of sickening colors behind.

But that was not all that happened. Before the shock and panic could properly set in, that vortex yawned wide open, spilling forth something even more mind-boggling than the disaster that all had bore witnessed too just moments ago. A prow appeared first, steadily growing wider and longer in size until it had surpassed any ships the T'au had seen in size, and yet it still went on. By the time at last that the hulking mass was revealed fully to the T'au Empire, alarms and emergency protocols were flooding the cadre-net, urging all personnel of class Vre and above to report to their stations for further instructions. But Ka'buto ignored it all, entranced as he was by the sight that would haunt his dreams from now on.

Kor'O Ob'ur, or Admiral Strongchild as he's more commonly known, frowned as he reviewed the gist of the mission he was given to by the Ethereals. He was to observe the actions of the alien vessel that emerged out of the strange vortex at Numenar Point and assess its capabilities. To this end, he was given the command of a relatively small fleet composed primarily of older vessels like the Gal'leath Battleship and the Il'fannor Cruiser, escorted by Kir'qath and Kass'l ships. In his heart, he wished he had more firepower under his command, but the Ethereal have decreed it thus, and so he must obey.

"We are approaching the outskirts of Numenar Point. Decelerating now." Skillblaze, his ship' pilot, called out by the cadre-net. Golden glyphs of affirmation came from the rest of the fleet, the fleet as a whole slowing down enough to finally see the point where it all began. The vortex of unnatural colors was still there, as was the alien ship, though it had moved by a considerable amount since its entrance into T'au space. That confirmed to Strongchild it was not an abandoned hulk, as some had proposed while he was preparing for his mission.

"All ships, make for intercept course of the alien vessel. Do not let it escape from our sight." Strongchild spoke by the cadre-net. "Do not engage in hostilities until fired upon." Another wave of golden glyphs was sent from the other ships of the fleet, their engines now straining to bring them up to speed to catch up to their massive target's unlikely speed.

"The target is slowing down. It appears to be powering up its faster-than-light capabilities." A quiver of fear came through Skillblaze even as he tried to suppress it. "By the Greater Good, their energy signature is massive! Admiral, what are your orders?" Strongchild took in a deep breath through his nasal chasm and pondered on what the right course of action would be. As he was pondering however, a bright flash of light came from where the alien ship was, a wave of energy washing over the admiral's fleet shorly after and overloading their systems, turning them into disabled wrecks for a short while until emergency power kicked on.

"Status report!" Admiral Strongchild barked into the cadre-net. "What's going on?!" Only static greeted the t'au for a short while until the blurry image of an Earth Caste Engineer resolved itself on the bridge' holo-display.

"Farlight, what has happened to my fleet? Are we not shielded from electromagnetic attacks such as that one?" The admiral spoke the technical term with some difficulty, only being familiar with such things as simply a matter of course on the dangers of navigating through the hostile environment that was space.

"Apologies, admiral, on behalf of the Earth Caste. It appears that our current countermeasures are not up to par to that level of electrical discharge. Rest assured, core systems will be brought back online in a short while, and we will be able to resume the mission without delay." The engineer gave the sign of contrition and resolve-upon-failure before disconnecting. Strongchild grit his teeth at this failure but restrained his anger for now.

Yes, such was unbecoming of an Air Caste Admiral. He was not a Fire Caste after all; he did not have the luxury of engaging in combat where the enemy could be seen most of the time. He needs to temper his fury, turn it into the cold focus of one who is in tune with their vessel. His endeavor bore fruit just as an Ethereal entered the bridge, followed closely behind by her two guards. A grav-belt on her waist ensured every step she took was light and airy, as though she'd take flight with the next one. She was Aun'H'an, who was enlisted into the mission by the divine will of Aun'Va himself.

"A great tremor ran through the ship, Admiral. What has become of our pursuit of the alien craft?" Aun'H'an said, making the gesture of inquiry-without-fault. Admiral Strongchild stood up from his command throne, cursing himself for forgetting to call upon

"Master H'an, I apologize for the delay. Our quarry has proved to be an elusive one that has escaped our grasp this time. I will ensure that we are better prepared for the next encounter once our fleet have completed their repairs." Aun'H'an looked around the bridge, taking note of the fizzling holo-screens and other electronics with an unimpressed stare before looking back at Admiral Strongchild.

"No need. We shall turn back to Au'Taal and make the repairs there." Strongchild's eyes widened as he went through a slew of emotions all at once. Surprise, then confusion, followed by a spike of disbelief, before turning into calm acceptance of the situation.

"Of course, honored one. Your will be done." Admiral Strongchild said, making the sing of the Greater Good before returning back to his duty, overseeing things with a focus usually reserved for combat. He would not fail on this task. That is a promise.

---

The Au'Taal Sept's deep space sensor buoys were the first ones to detect the incoming alien ship's enormous energy signature as it slowed back down to subliminal speeds in realspace. The closest ones found themselves damaged beyond repair by the energy surges that clung to the alien ship as it passed them by. The alien ship's trajectory brought it close to the orbital path of a gas giant, where an orbital habitat inhabited mainly by T'au auxiliaries lived. They were the first one to witness the alien ship in its entirety, as well as the massive electrical discharges the vessel unloaded onto the gas giant's atmosphere before moving on to a course that would bring it within spitting distance of Au'Taal Prime. Before long, the entire Au'Taal Sept had became aware of the new unwelcome visitor to their system.

This was without a doubt the greatest crisis to have befallen the Sept since its inception centuries ago. The atmosphere was heavy as the Elemental Council of Au'Taal convened an emergency session to discuss what should be done about the alien ship whose size still escaped the comprehension of most who saw it without reference moving through space. All members of the T'au Castes were in attendance without exception, as well as a Kroot Shaper and Nicassar delegate.

"I believe that is everyone in attendance." Aun'Eldi, the Ethereal in charge of the Au'Taal Elemental Council spoke up. "Let us start this emergency meeting of minds to discuss the best approach possible in light of Unknown Species No. 4521, to be referred to as 'Xetans' for the remainder of this session. High Ambassador Understone, how goes your efforts to communicate with the Xetan ship?" A holographic projection of the vessel in question appeared in the middle of the room, its details remarkably precise with how little time there was to gather any data.

"My deepest apologies, ethereal master, but so far we've only been met with silence in our attempts to hail the Xetans. The ship bears no markings whatsoever, not even a symbol upon which we might be able to extrapolate some information. In this, we have failed you most deeply." The T'au in question bowed deeply at Aun'Eldi's direction, his hands making the gesture of deepest contrition and regret.

"I see. I give you no fault High Ambassador, and thank you for your efforts." The Ethereal gave a curt sign of gratitude to the Ambassador, who returned it with the sign for the Greater Good, and moved his sights next to the Air Caste representative. "High Admiral Nightstorm, what have your scouts been able to glean from field observations of the Xetan ship in motion? Does it have any armaments? How fast can it move?"

"Your ethereal majesty, the Xetan ship bears no armaments of any kinds. It also does not appear to have what we can identify as sensor suites, entry points, command modules, or indeed any kind of identifiable features besides the six fins attached towards its back." The High Admiral made a gesture to zoom in at the back of the alien ships, where those eponymous fins could be seen in much more detail, with three of them clasping what appears to be an invisible orb that refused to be seen. "We have detected faint emissions coming from this area which would suggest that this part is responsible for the Xetan ship' propulsion. As for how fast the vessel is moving, it is comparable to a Kass'l Gunship class at normal cruising speed." The true scope of that statement went unnoticed for most in the room save for the Ethereal and the High Admiral himself, who looked positively haunted as he delivered that little tidbit of news.

"Thank you Admiral for your contribution." Aun'Eldi gave thanks with a gesture of polite-retreat. There were now only two T'au left to consider, High Commander Needlesight or High Planner Shadeguard. The former was a veteran of the Second Expansion Sphere, earning the right to retire to Au'Taal after an Ork ambush left him with severe injuries which was only salvageable with extensive cybernetic replacements. He, of course, turned the ambush back on the orks and led the counter-attack to ork positions further in beyond the frontline. The latter was an unusually acerbic T'au by Earth Caste standards. This friction with his fellow Earth Caste members caused him to be indirectly isolated by his peers, which led his current posting at Au'Taal, where his behavior was either ignored or seen as a source of entertainment by the planet's aging Fire Caste population.

"High Planner Shadeguard, your report please on the possible technological make-up of the Xetan ship. Is there a way to discern its internal structure? What have your sensors told you about" The Earth Caste T'au nearly leaped out of his seat, his body positively vibrating with excitement and awe.

"Yes, your ethereal highness. We've found a wealth of information from our drones and sensor relays scattered throughout the system. Observe." Shadeguard brought up a display of Au'Taal star system and plopped in the alien ship' current position as well as its previous path through space. "It first appeared at the edge of the system' gravity well, discharging an enormous amount of energy which was registered by the deep space sensor buoys placed there for observation purposes.

"It then made for Kor'vash'a and discharged once again what appeared to be static charge onto the gas giant's upper atmospheres before now going on its current course to Au'Taal Prime. What this tells us is that the Xetan ship is composed of a material orders of magnitude stronger than any alloys we currently have in our tech base.

"Additionally, gravitational analysis has revealed that the Xetan ship is somehow sheathed in layers of artificial gravity molded into itself like a shield. It brings up an exciting new possibility for our own applications of anti-grav, but that's not the most profound thing that was found in the data." Shadeguard zoomed in the holographic display once more into the alien ship, turning it around until the viewpoint was not looking at the vessel from the back straight-on, to find absolutely nothing staring back.

"This is an artificial singularity. The Xetans are able to manipulate gravity to such a degree that the extreme gravity of this celestial object is not a problem for them. In fact, I believe they are utilizing this singularity to somehow affect space-time itself in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. They are, by far, one of the most advanced alien species I've ever seen in the galaxy." The Earth Caste representative sat back down after his provocative report none too disturbed by what he just said. If anything, he seemed positively giddy, almost euphoric in fact.

"We will discuss further later, High Planner Shadeguard. Thank you for your contribution." Aun'Eldi gave a smile that had no warmth to them to the Earth Caste T'au, before moving on to the last member of the Ethereal Council yet to give his voice. "High Commander Needlesight, do you have any insight into our current situation which might illuminate the path forward?"

The Fire Caste T'au looked pensive before he stood up before his peers and master, clearing his throat before speaking. "Esteemed ethereal, I believe the Xetans, whoever they are, are not hostile to the T'au. No move was made to retaliate against any Air Caste vessels that fired upon them, nor did they intentionally try to destroy any orbital installations that were in their way. Their moves are not those of a hostile alien race. Until new information arrives that says otherwise, my recommendation is hold hostilities with them for now." A mild shock came over the Elemental Council at the sight of a Fire Caste Commander urging non-combat as an option, but that was soon quietened by the Ethereal's next words.

"I agree with your assessment, High Commander. Au'Taal Sept shall move to ready itself for first contact with our new alien guests. Cancel the state of emergency for the civilian population. High Ambassador Understone, I want you to work with High Planner Shadeguard to ensure our visitors will have the very best impressions of T'au culture and civilization. High Admiral Nightstorm, prepare to receive the alien ship in orbit and make sure to prepare enough shuttles on-hand to transport their people down should they need it. And High Commander Needlesight? I want you to pick out your best warriors to form the honor guard that will be escorting myself, the Water Caste delegations, as well as the alien's delegations on the ceremonial parade through the city. Am I understood?" All present nodded and gave the sign of the Greater Good, which was echoed in kind by Aun'Eldi, who for the first time since the meeting started gave a genuine smile for all to see.

"Meeting dismissed.

 

[cestus41]

Mmmmm sicons of the horizon needle editors of reality come to a universe of unreality

 

[ThedudeManBro]

Maaaaan, the Chaos Gods are gonna be feeling the fiercest case of Deja Vu in a minute

 

[Trisurya]

Renthaya Grondgun stared at the broadside window with awe, as did many other of her crewmates as they saw the grand majesty of the alien ship hanging in the void near Au'Taal Prime. The ship they were on, a captured Imperial mining vessel called 'Done With It', was on final approach to Au'Taal Prime to unload their precious cargo of minerals and other raw resources mined from an unnamed barren world near the edge of the star system. It had taken them the better part of an Imperial Year or two to get there, fill their quota, and then get back, but their perseverance had paid off with a front-row view to history.

"Is that a new tau ship? It looks huge." A young bridge crew named Tom called out, only to shut up once a fair few stares went his way. "It's all sleek and stuff, and shiny."

"Looks like Eldar scum to me." An old veteran spat at the ground, touching an old scar that ran from his forehead, through his left eye, ending at the lower left jaw. "Those cursed xenos burned my homeworld clean while I watched from orbit. Left it a barren world, and then they just left. Didn't even give us survivors the courtesy of death. I hope the Emperor kills them all to the very last one."

"Max, old boy, give it a rest. We've all heard your stories a million times by now." A young man patted the old man on the back, which earned him a gaze full of murder. "But hearing it one more time certainly isn't going to kill anyone. Take it away, Max."

"Oh you're all laughing now. But you won't be laughing when they tear you limb from limb quicker than you can blink. You won't be laughing when they line up the heads of your commanding officers one after the other like a fucking totem while leaving the rest of us untouched. You won't be laughing when the Emperor's Angels themselves get gutted and ran through like an Underhive brothel and no one knows until the very next day. No, you won't be laughing at all ever again." Max's rant captivated everybody on the bridge, so much so that none of them noticed a proximity alert appear in one of the hololiths before shutting down shortly after.

A loud beeping noise came from the ship' command throne, taking everyone's attention to it and reminding Renthaya that she was, in fact, still on the job as Captain for the moment. Easing back into her seat, she shivered as a draft of cold air blew across her face, sterilized from its journey into the ship's bowels to be recycled of waste products and toxins. She pressed the flashing button and came face to face with the impassive face of one Kor'O D'Yanaan, the Air Caste Representative of Au'Taal's Elemental Council.

"To all ships around Au'Taal Prime not part of the Kor'vattra, halt all approach until you have received further instruction. Locate the nearest spaceport or orbital your ship is capable of docking with, and await further instruction. Any attempt of forced entry into the planet will be met with extreme force. This is an automated message on behalf of the Au'Taal Sept Elemental Council. For the Greater Good." Renthaya stared at the looping display projected from her command throne for several more seconds before shutting it down and massaging her suddenly throbbing temple.

It's always one thing or another. She thought as her dreams of going back home were delayed once more.

---

As with all Septs, Au'Taal has its own Protection Fleet or Kor'vattra in the T'au language. Its location deep in T'au space and numerous fortifications in space and on land meant that such a fleet do not see action often, and such would be the case in any other day. Today however, they were found wanting as the sheer size and durability of the alien ship intruding upon the star system meant that their attempts to destroy the assumed threat proved futile and a waste of resources. Though none of Au'Taal's Air Caste would dare voice or think of any dissent against their sacred duty to the Greater Good, many were outwardly relieved when the order came to cease hostilities and prepare instead to escort the alien ship on its ponderous journey to Au'Taal.

"So our revered masters have decided to try the hand of diplomacy after such a poor showing by the Protection Fleet." Captain Mirrorstrike softly whispered to himself as he saw the res of Au'Taal's fleets array themselves into an escort detail surrounding the alien ship on all sides except for its back. His own starship, a Defender-class, had taken the point of putting itself on an interception path between the alien ship and a Custodian-class Carrier.

"Incoming communications from Au'Taal Prime. It's from-" The golden symbol of the Ethereals flashed from the Water Caste' display, clearly seen to all. "-. Patching our ethereal masters through now." Slowly, like a vision from a dream, the sage figure of Aun'Eldi graced the eyes of everyone on the bridge.

"To what do we owe this honor, etheral majesty?" Captain Mirrorstrike bowed his head at the hologram.

"Captain Mirrorstrike. I will be brief. You have been reassigned to a new fleet under the command of Admiral Suresword. Further details will be sent by an envoy shuttle shortly." And just like that, the Master of the Au'Taal Sept was gone. Everyone on the bridge looked at each other before eventually settling their gaze on Captain Mirrorstrike, who seemed like a T'au turned into stone. His petrification was short-lived, as he regained his composure and soon barked orders to the other T'au, his face betraying nothing of the array of questions bubbling underneath his skin.

Similar scenes played throughout the rest of the Protection Fleet. At the end of this remobilization, about a third of the fleet detached itself from the escort convoy and moved out into the outermost planet of the Au'Taal system, where they restocked and rearmed as needed, then headed out and about, their destination unknown to all but a very select few.

All eyes that matter, however, were on Au'Taal Prime for now.

---

The entire assemblage of Au'Taal's Elemental Council sat in silence aboard Aun'Eldi's personal craft, an Emissary-Class Starship named 'The Peace Between Worlds'. The alien ship was now keeping apace with Au'Taal in its own orbit around the system's star, some ten thousand kilometers or so away from the planet. That it had chosen to halt its approach, and yet still ignored all hails did not bode well for a friendly first contact, but hope must still be kept for now. And in the event that violence proved inevitable, the Kor'vattra has set up an impressive trap all the same, diminished as it was.

Aun'Eldi could hear those around him busying themselves in various ways while they waited for him to awake. He was, to the outside observer, meditating upon his grav-throne, flanked as always by his two most trusted Ethereal guards, but in truth he was taking in the moment as it happened. High Admiral Nightstorm was relaying an anecdote about his younger days to a Water Caste biographer, getting off tangent several times to the exasperation of his captive audience.

High Commander Needlesight discussed battlesuit tactics with his fellow Fire Caste commanders, looking up field reports of engagements done against the Imperium's Titan Legions at the same time. High Planner Shadeguard was engrossed in the schematics of a device whose function escaped any comprehension for all save a fellow Earth Caste, and so Aun'Eldi made no effort to even try. High Ambassador Understone, perfectionist that he was in his job, was in the middle of memorizing once more every alien language the T'au had ever encountered, as well all of their recognized dialects and slangs.

Aun'Eldi felt pride in his heart swell at the sight of the Castes perfectly in unison as the Greater Good intended. It has taken many generations of careful breeding and education to come to this point, and now their abilities would be tested to the limit. We are to be silk hiding steel; graceful yet unbowed when struck. Aun'Eldi recalled the words of the great Aun'va when he was but a stripling, still studying the ways of the Ethereals on the sacred T'au homeworld.

Just as Aun'Eldi resolved to stop spying on his subjects and meditate properly while he still had the chance, loud gasps were heard all around the bridge. Right in front of the Peace Between Worlds, so close that one could touch it with an outstretched hand, was another alien ship, uncloaked from complete transparency to full visibility in just under a microdec. It was a much smaller craft than the Emissary-Class Starship, but still large enough that a head-on collision would prove fatal.

For the first time in his long life, Aun'Eldi was at a lost for words. And that moment of shock extended when an Air Caste console blinked with a request for open channels. The crew in question looked at his superior, who looked at hers, who looked at his, who then looked at the ship's captain, who looked at the High Admiral, who at last looked at Aun'Eldi. The ethereal faintly felt his head nod, and the chain of command snapped back to execute that command, leading to an open channel broadcast to the entire bridge, seemingly of random static at first.

And then-

"-t'Au?"

-there it was. The voice a poor pastiche of a true T'au, but unmistakably speaking in T'au Lexicon. Silence reigned for another dec before that same alien voice spoke again, saying that same word in a different tone, almost like a question. Immediately, this broke the spell that took hold of everyone on the bridge, their bodies moving according to the training ingrained into them over the years. Aun'Eldi gave the High Ambassador one look and the T'au hurried to the active Air Caste console with a speed his soft body was grossly unaccustomed to.

He, however, didn't start replying to the alien, who had now repeated itself for a third time with a tone considerably lower than before. The High Ambassador produced a datadisk from his person and inserted it into the proper slot, gently patting the Air Caste in charge of said console to do his part. With practiced ease, he went over the holographic displays and terminal, several packets of data were sent over to the alien ship, carrying with it a veritable wealth of information, more than enough for an intelligent mind or two to put together and discover the key to communicating with the T'au. Several tense minutes passed in which everyone held their breath, then the comms channel buzzed once more with the telltale sign of an incoming signal.

"Testing, can you hear me clearly now? Your data package was most helpful in helping us translate your language. Thank you very much for that." The alien voice now spoke in near-flawless T'au, even enunciating certain things the way some T'au from certain Septs did. "Unfortunately, I don't think our systems are compatible enough to send visual data at an acceptable resolution. Would you be amenable to a face-to-face meeting, T'au?"

"My name is Aun'Eldi, the Ethereal Voice of Au'Taal, and we would be most amenable to such a meeting. To whom am I speaking to?" The ethereal spoke up, standing up from his command throne and towering over everyone.

"Aun'Eldi. Yes, names. My deepest apologies for not introducing myself first. I am the Mentat, the Head of Science of the Ascentron Circurrency." The T'au at last had a name to the new alien race that had caused them so much trouble recently. Every Water Caste on the bridge, as well some of the T'au Auxiliaries, were busy recording every moment of this historic interaction, preserving it for posterity. "Shall we meet in your ship or in ours? Either choice is acceptable."

"Let us meet in an orbital instead. We will lead the way." Aun'Eldi replied, letting his eyes rest on the ship's captain, who began charting a course to the closest orbital capable of receiving the Peace Between Worlds and its new tagalong.

"Splendid. I'll see you soon." The Mentat ended the comms link and the Ascentron ship began to move up and back away from the Peace Between Worlds. It moved with uncanny agility and speed, settling in at the Emissary-Class Starship's starboard side. In the distance loomed the Ascentron' Mothership, still as silent and inscrutable as ever.

 

[ATP]

Good.Every new faction strong enough to survive would made WH40 better place to live.

 

[Mgunh1]

So, the name Ascentron Circurrency suggests machine hivemind, but the presence of a 'head of science' indicates individuality, thus likely a synthetic ascendency species.

I am curious to know if Gigastructures mod is involved, or if this is baseline Stellaris?

 

[Trisurya]

So, the name Ascentron Circurrency suggests machine hivemind, but the presence of a 'head of science' indicates individuality, thus likely a synthetic ascendency species.

I am curious to know if Gigastructures mod is involved, or if this is baseline Stellaris?

Click to shrink...

The empire I'm using is an Individualistic Machine Megacorp that's Fanatic Xenophile and Pacifistic, and it is baseline Stellaris. However, I might take some stuff here and there from the Gigastructures mod if I find them necessary for the plot.

 

[Trisurya]

The orbital that ended up being chosen was a rather humble one, flying around on a polar-to-polar orbit as a glorified supply depot. The Air Caste onboard were understandably shocked when the Peace Between Worlds requested docking access for itself and an alien ship, followed by what was left of the Au'Taal Protection Fleet keeping a close on eye on their charge. It was hardly the kind of venue High Ambassador Understone would have picked for a first contact with a non-hostile alien race, but he serves as ever at the behest of his ethereal masters.

A table was hastily erected in the middle of the reception area where the T'au was expecting their alien guest. Aun'Eldi sat comfortably in his own grav-throne, his two ethereal guards spaced about a step farther than usual behind him. To his right was High Ambassador Understone and High Admiral Nightstorm. To his left was High Commander Needlesight and High Planner Shadeguard. The Kroot Shaper and Nicassar Delegate had declined a seat, the former more at ease with his guard up around a new alien race and the latter simply not fond of seats in general.

"The Ascentrons seems to be taking their time to reach us." Shadeguard said, seemingly not aimed at anyone in particular. "Are they having trouble with the docking procedure? Something to think about, yes. Better magnetic clamps and atmospheric seals perhaps."

"No, the orbital crew confirmed the Ascentron successfully docked their ship." Understone replied, raising his voice a tad so everyone could hear him. "I believe they might just be preparing themselves a little while longer."

"Or it could be a trap." Needlesight grumbled, raising the room's tension to his Water Caste peer's annoyance. "We could have fortified this room better, erect a barrier to protect Aun'Eldi from harm."

"I am not as unguarded as you might think, High Commander. And we are the T'au. We face the unknown bravely, without fear or doubt." The High Ethereal in command addressed his subordinates at last. "I believe the Mentat means us no harm, and that will be the case until such time that is no longer true."

"By your will, I hear and obey." Needlesight bowed his head and made the gesture of deepest contrition. The rest made the sign of the Greater Good, and

silence came back to the reception room for a time. At least, until at last the door at the other side slid open, and their guests strolled right in.

First, two highly advanced drones hovered in, their many eyes scanning their surroundings while their tentacled arms swam through the air. Then a rock sculpture went through the threshold, floating in mid-air before Understone realized that it was alive. Its exoskeleton was composed of two parts, with the outer layer composed of large red blocks and the inner one made out of smooth, white pebbles. Two pairs of powerful arms dangled off its sides with a smaller, more delicate pair of vestigial legs positioned near the front of its mesa-shaped torso. At where a neck would be was instead a crown of white pyramids, the same color as its exoskeleton's second layer. There were no eyes that could be seen, nor a mouth or any kind of orifice that one would expect to find in an ordinary living being. Understone realized he had his work cut out for him. Finally, two more advanced drones rounded up the Ascentron's group, which the High Ambassador took as the cue to start talking.

"Sorry about the wait. The ship got finicky trying to couple with your docking ports, which by the way are in remarkable shape for how well-used they are. But we're here now, and I gotta ask, couldn't we have gotten on a better orbital? I know I've seen bigger ones on the way here." The Mentat's voice came out of seemingly thin air, which now fully keyed in everyone else that the living Earth Caste art project was in fact the alien they had all met not a dec ago. "Oh you've got seats. That's very kind of you. I hope you don't mind I'm not actually sitting on them."

"Not at all, please make yourself comfortable, Mentat?" Understone finally found his voice, reeling back in the tiny squeak that came out at the start of his sentence.

"Yes, that's me. Or The Mentat, if you really want to be all formal about it. But we're not really in an official setting, are we? At least, not yet. There's something you want to confirm first, isn't that right, Aun'Eldi?" Even without eyes, the alien had managed to single out the High Ethereal from every other T'au present. An unspoken tension ran between Aun'Eldi's two ethereal guards, both of which took an imperceptible half-step forward.

"You are most correct, Mentat. Your people's sudden arrival in this Sept has brought great concern and panic among the populace. As the head of those tasked with the wellbeing and safety of my people, I would like to know first and foremost your intentions of intruding into T'au space. Whether you be friend, or foe." Aun'Eldi's face was a study of classical ethereal grace and poise, his words soothing yet unrelenting; a stream whose flow cannot be dammed.

"I see. That does make sense. I can tell you now that the Oracle has no wish to war upon anyone who means us no harm. We were simply trying to get our bearings in this new universe, that's all." Faces of confusion flashed through most of the T'au present, save for Shadeguard, whose pupils widened until his eyes were consumed by them. Even Aun'Eldi was caught off-guard by the Mentat's choice of words, unsure if it was mistake in translation or some Ascentron word that couldn't be properly described by the T'au Lexicon.

"If that is the case, then I declare the Ascentron to be our honored guests. Let it all be known that the T'au are generous with their friends, and merciless to their foes. I will leave you to it, High Ambassador Understone." Aun'Eldi nodded at the Water Caste T'au before sitting back down, eyes closed in an attempt at deep meditation.

"Thank you, ethereal master. Now-"

"Wait a moment. Before we go any further, I'd my friends to introduce themselves first. Make sure we all don't get off on the wrong foot." Any questions Understone was about to ask died in his throat as he watched those same highly advanced drones he'd dismissed out of hand change their forms before his very eyes. The roughly T'au sized automatons expanded in size and complexity, new parts coming online and humming with power that reminded the High Ambassador of the Fire Caste's Battlesuits. Fire Caste warriors arrayed themselves into firing squads with their pulse rifles at the ready, while the other castes scrambled to get out of the way of the coming conflict.

"What is the meaning of this?!" High Commander Needlesight shouted, aiming his custom pulse rifle at the Mentat's dead center. While the T'au scrambled to regain their order, the Ascentrons finished their transformations. Each were the size of a T'au Crisis Battlesuit, towering over everyone else in the orbital's reception area. One skittered on multiple legs, panels jutting out of its back while a large eye denoted its face. Another flew on back-mounted jets, its three pairs of limbs retracted into stubs on its chest. The other two Ascentrons took on T'au-like forms, standing on two legs. No T'au would confess to having four arms, however, nor would they wave around prehensile tails almost as long as they were tall.

"These are my peers. They are scientists. They are Ascentron." Those three simple sentences bounced around in the minds of every T'au present, especially in one Shadeguard who looked like he was about to faint from the excitement. "They couldn't fit through the hallway, so they had to shrink back down to something smaller."

"You couldn't have told us that the Ascentrons were machines beforehand?" Aun'Eldi spoke up, his previous serene aura now replaced with unyielding steel. "This is highly irregular behavior, Mentat."

"I didn't think that was something worth nothing about." The Mentat spoke honestly, "But I can see now that was a mistake. Apologies, everyone. Can you please lower your weapons now?" High Commander Needlesight scowled at the alien's demand, but one look from Aun'Eldi and the Fire Caste T'au acquiesced, followed soon after by his subordinates.

"I think this calls for a re-introduction." The Ascentron whose prehensile tail was colored bright red spoke up. "My name is Navi Kibi, and I'm a scientist."

"I'm Ansion Exa. Nice to meet you." The Ascentron with a bright blue tail spoke up, waving his two right arms at the T'au present. "Oh, I'm a scientist too."

"As you might have already guessed by now, we are all scientists. I am known as Simul Zetta." The Ascentron whose look reminded Understone uncomfortably of the Arachen spoke up.

"I am Zation Mebi. Pleased to meet you all." The last Ascentron said his piece, hovering around comfortably with the propulsion from his back-jets.

"Shall we get back to the discussions at hand?" The Mentat spoke up, seemingly unaware of the heightened tension that had now befallen the reception area. "Or do we adjourn for now and get back to it once we're in somewhere more appropriate?" Understone was of two minds about that. For one, they have, at the very least, a better idea of who their new guests were now. But what little they do know wouldn't be of much help with how soured the mood were now with the Ascentron's surprise.

No, we have to get a win. Understone thought as he gave Needlesight a passing glance of disapproval. Information for information. We need to know more about them, and they need to know more about us. Start with something small, and then work from there.

"It's fine, Mentat. We can continue our discussions here for now. But please, moving forward, can you not spring any more surprises like this on us? We of the T'au have had to deal with a lot of nasty ones as our empire expanded through the stars." Understone laid down a simple request to the Mentat, who mulled over the matter for a second before giving a nod.

"Are there not machine empires in this galaxy?" Simul Zetta spoke up, leaning down so his one eye could look at Understone better. "It was common enough back home."

"Not to my knowledge, no." Understone replied, seizing the opportunity to ask more questions. "We have many alien species in the T'au Empire, but none of them are like you. Where are you all from?"

"It's a long story." Ansion Exa said, switching gears once he realized he would need to give the T'au something to work with. "But we Ascentrons came from an ocean planet called Dekronia. We lived in the depths peacefully for many years until at last we decided to look out beyond the waves and see what the stars have to offer."

"Do you have a map of the galaxy? We've been flying blind ever since we came out of that Shroud portal." Zation Mebi asked, unaware of the sudden spike of tension running through the T'au present.

"The Shroud portal." Understone repeated, looking at Aun'Eldi to see the ethereal's reaction to that little tidbit of information. "Did you Ascentrons make said portal?"

"No, we found it by chance while trying to get out. Why? Did some of you get caught in that?" The Mentat asked, his mind only now beginning to piece together the reason why the T'au had been so agitated when they first arrived in-system. Understone looked at Aun'Eldi for permission to proceed, seeing as the loss of the Fourth Sphere of Expansion was rapidly becoming a stain on the T'au Empire's record of glorious rapid expansion. An official narrative was already being put in place wherein the lost fleet had instead completed their simultaneous jumps and were now safely in-transit beyond the reaches of the Damocles Gulf's flames. Aun'Eldi knew all this and narrowed his eyes at Understone. The meaning was clear.

"Yes, some of our people were unfortunately caught and we're trying to get them back. We would appreciate any help we can get on the matter." Understone smoothly swept over the whole thing under the rug. "You can see why we were so nervous at your arrival to our system."

"You thought we were responsible for that." Navi Kibi said out loud what every T'au had thought was true. "The timing is rather uncanny if what you say is true."

"It is." Understone said tightly, "We are at war with many foes, and this tragedy has not helped us at all. It is a great loss, and one we would not soon forget." A moment of reflection passed as all the T'au present mourned the senseless taking of their kindred, and what it represented for the empire as a whole.

"My condolences." The Mentat spoke, followed with similar sentiments by the Ascentron. "Tragedy oft follows the bold; those who would tread the paths no one else dares. We know a thing or two about that, believe it or not." A dark mood passed through the Mentat before leaving as quickly as it came.

"So, why have you come here, Mentat? What do you want, really?" Understone spoke at last the meat of the matter, which both the T'au and the Ascentrons have been dancing around now for almost an hour.

"We would like some survey information about the star systems in your empire. Specifically ones that are not inhabited by anyone, including your empire. We would like to settle down and find somewhere safe where we can figure out our next moves from here on out." The Mentat spoke, his tone even as ever. "Of course, we would be more than happy to trade with you several things from our storage. Raw materials and processed goods. All kinds of services of every variety that you can imagine and more. Even some of our tech should an acceptable research agreement be drafted for perusal by our legal departments. We Ascentrons are, first and foremost, a Megacorp dedicated to bringing the very best the universe has to offer, both the one before and this one."

"We would be more than happy to provide you with the survey data. However, as to the matter of you settling worlds within our space is something beyond my authority as the leader of Au'Taal Sept. You'd have to make your appeal directly to the Ethereal Council at T'au." Aun'Eldi spoke up, taking over from Understone. "Aside from that, you are still quite an unknown in our empire, Mentat. You have a spaceship that dwarfs even the Air Caste' orbital cities and fortress stations. Your method of FTL apparently discharges so much power that it can knock out surrounding fleets and orbital stations. You are dangerous."

"Are you kicking us out?" Navi Kibi asked, hugging his red tail as it curled around an arm.

"No. I have given you my word that you are to be considered as honored guests of the T'au. Even after your unwelcome surprise, Ascentrons, I will not revoke my word on the matter. You may stay in Au'Taal Sept until such times that my fellow Ethereals declare that you cannot." Aun'Eldi stood up from his seat, followed by the rest of the Elemental Council. "In five rotaa, I will hold a celebration in your honor. I believe that is sufficient time for the rest of the empire to arrive and deliberate further on the matter of your request. Is that acceptable, Mentat?"

"Five rotaa, hold on, how long is that?" The Mentat asked. Understone gave a subtle eye-flick at one of his aides, who hurriedly moved forward with a holo-tablet on hand already filled with the requisite information about the T'au's way of keeping time. "I see, that is a lot of time. It's unfortunate we couldn't seal the deal now, but I am glad we have come to an agreement all the same. Shall we shake to it?" The Mentat floated forward towards Aun'Eldi, his two right arms held up in a friendly gesture. The ethereal considered the appendages for a moment before grasping it with his own right hand, shaking each limb firmly and nodding as Water Caste T'au scrambled to commit the event to history.

So ends the T'au Empire and Ascentron Circurrency's first ever meeting.

 

[Mgunh1]

So, considering we have three species from canon Stellaris (the arthropoid and plantoid machines and Lithoid 13) it is curious that these two:

The other two Ascentrons took on T'au-like forms, standing on two legs. No T'au would confess to having four arms, however, nor would they wave around prehensile tails almost as long as they were tall.

Click to shrink...

Are non-canon. The only machine portraits with four arms are the Reptilian, Mammalian, Fungoid and Synth 03, none of which I'd consider 'Tau like', and only the Synth 03 portrait having what could be a 'prehensile tail'.

Not that i have an issue with there being non-canon species here. Just curious, is all.

Edit: For anyone curious, the full list of portraits can be found here

 

[Trisurya]

So, considering we have three species from canon Stellaris (the arthropoid and plantoid machines and Lithoid 13) it is curious that these two:

Are non-canon. The only machine portraits with four arms are the Reptilian, Mammalian, Fungoid and Synth 03, none of which I'd consider 'Tau like', and only the Synth 03 portrait having what could be a 'prehensile tail'.

Not that i have an issue with there being non-canon species here. Just curious, is all.

Edit: For anyone curious, the full list of portraits can be found here

Click to shrink...

Yeah I just made some up, and there will be more of that since the Ascentrons picked the Modularity Ascension path, which means they can really just look like anything at all.

 

[Trisurya]

Since that first meeting at the polar orbital (whose crew was quickly sworn to secrecy), the Ascentrons and the T'au have gradually began to open up to one another, even as the burgeoning relationship encountered stumbling blocks early on. The T'au's request to enter the Horizon Needle—what the Ascentrons called their humongous spaceship—was quickly rejected out of hand, the Mentat citing security concerns. When pressed further by what he meant by that, the rock ornament simply chuckled and asked if the T'au would let him and the Ascentrons waltz freely into the T'au homeworld and do as they wished with what they found in the planet. Further escalation was defused with the assiduous efforts of High Ambassador Understone and his aides, as well as the Ascentron scientist, Simul Zetta.

It took the two sides the better part of one rotaa to come up with a workable guideline to interacting with one another. The core tenets of which are thus:

All Ascentrons must be accompanied by a member of the Water Caste at all times.

Unless the interaction is appropriate for their Caste, all interactions between the T'au and the Ascentrons will be conducted through a Water Caste intermediary.

Any new additions to the Ascentron's roster must be informed beforehand to the T'au and any relevant information disclosed.

The Ascentrons have free access to all T'au facilities with some exceptions.

The Ascentrons have diplomatic immunity for the duration of their stay in Au'Taal Sept.

Any public information about the Ascentrons must not be censored and presented as-is, with as little bias as possible.

Of the demands the Ascentrons made from their hosts, their last one both confused and frustrated High Ambassador Understone the most. It seems the Ascentrons were aware of the mechanisms which drive the court of public opinion in an interstellar empire. However, rather than taking advantage of it to elevate their status, as the T'au have done to make their Auxiliaries to make them 'palatable' for their populace, the Ascentrons have instead wished to have the T'au public make their own opinions on the matter. It was a dangerous game which gave even Aun'Eldi pause before he gave the order to Understone to approve the request, with some caveats on the side.

After this initial guideline was put into place, the Mentat immediately made a request for two Ascentrons to gain entry to Au'taal Prime. The first was for an Official, a crafty diplomat named Autono Kibi. He was to take over all diplomatic duties from the Mentat and become the official ambassador of the Ascentron Circurrency to the T'au Empire. The approval for his entry came easily enough. The problem started when the time came to evaluate the entry for the next candidate; a Commander called Digi Quipu.

---

High Commander Needlesight didn't earn his rank by luck or field promotions. Oh, he's had to step up to the plate when his superiors got caught by a Gue'ronsha ambush, or a Be'gel charge, or some other alien menace. Once the problem was over, however, he was always content to go back to his post and serve as a loyal weapon of the T'au Empire, to be pointed at the enemy and let loose. But the ethereals knew the Fire Caste' true worth far better than the T'au in question, and so he rose through the military hierarchy until one day, he was made High Commander of Au'Taal Sept.

For almost twenty tau'cyrs, that was the reality Needlesight lived in. An unbroken cycle of command, training, self-affirmation of the Greater Good, broken only by the occasional intrusion of marauding Be'gel forces arriving from wandering space hulks. He would have been content to live in such a way until his eventual passing, or perhaps he may serve even longer afterward, as can be attested by the success of the Warghost or Ob'lotai of Farsight's retinue fame. Not that Needlesight would ever admit to admire a more traitorous band of T'au this side of the Damocles Gulf.

But now it seems his time in the spotlight has come, and Needlesight hated it. He could not articulate exactly why he found the Ascentrons so distasteful; he was no Water Caste after all. He could, however, draw from his own experience, which told him that the newest race the T'au had found so far was hiding something behind their friendly facade. He didn't know what this big secret was, but Needlesight was adamant not to let it befall the T'au Empire while his body still drew breath.

It was with this mindset and healthy dose of suspicion that the High Commander found himself in one of Au'Taal's largest simulation domes, piloting his XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit against the newest Ascentron to be granted permit to Au'Taal Prime; a fellow Commander by the name of Digi Quipu. It was not Needlesight' choice to evaluate the alien warrior personally. He was after all High Commander and beholden to greater responsibilities than a simple test of mettle and skill. That was the case before the Ascentron fired the first shot.

Your primitive stratagems and sub-adequate equipments may have won you paltry claims, but your little empire will never encompass the stars as mine have not so long ago. You fight wars of survival, not wars of conquest. I wonder if your weakness is your own, or if your leaders are similarly inept. The Ascentron had cornered the High Commander as it ignored everyone else, its cold eyes finding weaknesses where Needlesight found strength. The uproar that occurred soon after paled to the pounding of the High Commander's heart in his chest. If he was a more restrained Fire Caste, a closer follower of the Kauyon way of warfare, then perhaps Needlesight could see the trap the Ascentron Commander had laid by his brusque manner. It was a test he could have passed the easy way if he had retained his calm, but instead Needlesight immediately issued a challenge to the alien for his disrespect.

And now he was here, checking every part of his battlesuit to ensure everything was working as the Earth Caste intended. The only audience to this test would be the High Ambassador Understone with his aides, High Planner Shadeguard (who had somehow heard of what happened and insisted to take part as an observer), the new Ascentron diplomat Autono Kibi, as well as the miscellaneous Earth Caste workers, technicians, and engineers scrambling to ensure the simulation dome would be prepared for the carnage to come. A golden symbol of the Water Caste appeared at the corner of his foremost holo-display, and the Needlesight nearly eye-flicked it to close. Instead, he opened it, and on the other side was the rapidly aging face of High Ambassador Understone.

"High Commander Needlesight, I have a message for you from our esteemed ethereal master, Aun'Eldi." The Fire Caste' heartbeat quickened as he heard those ominous words. "In light of your decades of service to the T'au Empire and Au'Taal Sept, he will overlook this overstep of your authority as High Commander. In return, he asks that you will give it your all to regain the honor you have lost. That is all." The sense of relief Needlesight felt was soon replaced by the grim determination of one who would risk it all for victory.

"Objectives uploaded to holo-display now." The Coldstar' on-board AI spoke in a clear digital accent; an affectation meant to highlight its artificial nature. "Fusion Blasters ready. Shoulder Missile Pods Primed. Shield Generator at maximum output. Awaiting on your command, High Commander." Needlesight gave the AI the sign of deepest thanks before turning on the battlesuit's thrusters and flying away deeper into the simulation dome.

The scenario chosen for this live-fire evaluation was that of a T'au city under invasion, with some of the buildings already ruined for the sake of accuracy. There were even several underground levels dug out with pathways meant for rapid redeployment of T'au forces by either transmotives or crisis teams using the underground ways as an alternative angle of approach to an enemy's entrenched position. Needlesight chose this urban environment for the express purpose of nullifying the advantages a foe with superior tech might have on the open field, as well as enhancing his own battlesuit' natural speed and agility with his innate knowledge of the defensive properties T'au cities have for aiding their defenders while hampering the attackers.

Even with all these advantages, Needlesight remained cautious. The bane of all T'au, not just the Fire Caste, was the hubris of assuming one knew all there is to know about everything. He has seen many a promising battlesuit pilots, veteran warriors, and even commanders fall short to the unpredictable alien hordes unknowable ways. It is by failure and the blood of billions have the T'au' edge been sharpened over the millenniums, and Needlesight was keen to keep it that way for as long as he lived.

"Seismic sensors indicate tremors in these sectors." Coldstar overlaid the highlighted areas on a map of the ruined city, where a clear pattern of progress could be seen. "Do we proceed on an intercept route?" Needlesight winced as the thought of an overwhelming force crippling his battlesuit the moment its sensor-head even so much as peeked through rubble.

"Negative. We will observe our foe for now and gauge its capabilities. Create a route where we might use the city's debris as our shield and ready the missile-pods for probing attacks." The Coldstar chirped an affirmation and the the battlesuit hopped and skipped across the battlefield, always keeping in mind to never fly higher than the surrounding buildings and ruins. Its approach stopped by a large skyscraper, clearly designed as a workplace for the Water Caste with its smooth, flowing architecture. To Needlesight's right, the entrance of a subterranean transmotive station peeked out, shaded by the half-collapsed parts of another skyscraper further ahead from the High Commander's location.

The ground shook as something walked closer, and the Coldstar scarcely had time to hide behind the Water Caste skyscraper as the Ascentron Commander finally revealed himself to the battlesuit' sensors. It was a bipedal construction, much like T'au battlesuits were, but that was where the similarities ended.

It stood as tall as a Tau'nar Supremacy Armour, with legs that branch off at the knees to form a fore-feet and hind-feet configuration. The reason for such a configuration became apparent as one looks up at the armaments that it bore upon the rest of its body. A long, multi-barrelled weapon that reminded Needlesight of the Tau' Railgun weapon systems was held out at some distance on its right side, mounted on a circular ball mount that enabled it to freely aim at any target independent of the main body' alignment. Its left bore instead a bulky, tubular weapons platform with heat-sinks jutting out the back; the signs of an energy weapon.

A glowing orb pulsed at the center of the Ascentron' chest cavity, with power lines drawing out of it to feed the rest of the machine. Thick, scale-patterned armor plates lined every part that could be seen, segmented to allow greater flexibility where it was needed. Atop the torso rested a broad and squat head, similarly-plated and angled to deflect lesser weapons and carrying within it the cold and indomitable mind of a machine intelligence geared for war. It was that same head that then sharply turned towards where Needlesight's Coldstar was, and a great horn was sounded.

The true hunt now begins.

---

The room was darkened save for a single spot in the middle, where a T'au was on his knees, hunched over and his hands bound with cuffs. His short stature and powerful body marked him as one of the Earth Caste, but he was wasting away. He was something worse than a mere criminal, worse than a T'au that have dabbled between spheres, a Vash'ya. He was a T'au whose work promised hope in the hearts and minds of trillions of T'au, but instead it snuffed them out and horrified the empire in its wake. Even the presence of the alien ship that appeared soon after could not diminish the weight of what he has done, and so remains bowed with head hung low. The weight of shame presses him, and he complies.

He was not alone in this prison room. Four thrones sat in judgment on a raised dais, with a fifth placed higher than the rest. Two of them were occupied, their occupants Ethereal Caste T'au engaged in discussion with each other while several holo-displays hung in the air before them. One had a close-up of a vast alien ship exiting a portal, along with numerous notes and speculations written on the matter. Another was of a web of messages, carefully arranged and linked to one another in a pattern that eluded explanation by sight alone.

A smooth sound clinked from the other side of the room, the new entry revealing itself to be another ethereal, held aloft by a grav-belt. She gently landed by an empty throne and made herself home in it, the seat coming alive at her touch and data saved from a previous session now displayed for her convenience. The new ethereal made no move to even acknowledge the Earth Caste T'au in the room with her; a small mercy compared to what would happen once the trial truly began.

Another clink and another ethereal, this one walking on foot with the aid of a spear used as a walking stick. His gait was that of a warrior, and one might even mistake him for a Fire Caste were it not for his refined garb and noble aura. His peers greet him as he walked into the light, purposefully stopping for a moment by the prisoner at his feet. Old eyes met young ones and a message was sent. The Earth Caste' head hung even lower and the warrior ethereal claimed his place amongst his peers.

In this room, the Earth Caste had no name, but before, he was Fio'vre Ka'buto. A lauded genius of his kind, from his mind had came the AL-38 Slipstream Module; the future of interstellar travel for all T'au-kind. Or at least that was the promise the ethereals had given to the masses. Numenor Point flipped that script on its head and now no one dared to mention of either the accursed tech or its laid low inventor. Everything involved with the project was quietly shelved, all public records scrubbed and its personnel either re-educated before being released under a different name or reassigned to somewhere no one could ever ask them about the truth. Or they simply disappeared altogether, painted over in the name of a narrative in service to the Greater Good.

After what felt like eternity to Ka'buto, the last ethereal arrived at last. In the times since the Dal'yth Invasion and the wider conflict of the First Contact War with the Imperium, his station has only grown even grander. Protege to the Whispering Wisdom, Aun'Wei, and now ascendant as the T'au Supreme Ethereal, the majesty of Aun'va did not diminish even a little in the darkened space of this tribunal. The uncertainty of youth had fled the ethereal and now, matured into the leader of a formidable empire, Aun'va bore no evidence on his face of the emotions roiling within. But it was there for those who knew him well, and one ethereal at least, whose arm casually cradled a spear as one would cradle a lover, could peer one step further and know that Aun'va was livid at what was being internally called Numenor' Folly

"Belated greetings, my kin. I apologize for my delay." He made the gesture of contrition, which the other ethereals returned in kind with gestures of acceptance. Aun'va sat upon the last throne and allowed himself to comport to its internal shape, letting its functions come alive as holo-displays flickered to life. "We will now begin the trial of Fio'vre Ka'buto, for the grave crime of disrupting the Greater Good through his failed invention, the AL-38 Splipstream Module."

"We will give the accused one chance to defend himself before we move to the sentencing." Ka'buto stirred at those words, finally lifting his head up to meet the eyes of the Tau Empire's Ethereal Supreme. Like every T'au of the Ethereal Caste, Aun'va's eyes gleamed with striking intelligence; the hallmark of an enlightened mind. But for the first time in his life, the Earth Caste was able to see deeper than most, to find the hidden darkness to the ethereal's brilliant light. Ka'buto recoiled at the sight and he collapsed to the floor, Aun'va simply raising an eye at the Earth Caste' antics.

"If the accused will not make a statement, then we will-" A sharp rap rang across the room from the room's entrance, breaking Aun'va's momentum. The Ethereal Supreme frowned and looked at his peers, who looked similarly confused save perhaps for the warrior ethereal, whose grip on his spear tightened. Two more raps came and Aun'va held out his hand in order to let in the interloper at last to the room. The automatic door opened to reveal an ethereal flanked by several ethereal guards, who bowed in reverence to their greater master.

"Aun'Nel'yun, this is highly irregular. You are not one to break protocol without great reason. Speak." Aun'va spoke with bite behind his words.

"Deepest apologies, Aun'va, but a messenger ship had come by from Aun'Taal with dire news. An alien ship of immense power has arrived in-system and holding the Sept hostage with its presence. Aun'Eldi has requested your help in guiding him through this difficult situation." Aun'Nel'yun gave the gesture of supreme apology while nodding at the messenger drone following by her side. It flew over to the middle of the room, above Fio'vre Ka'buto and projected an image of Au'Taal Prime, along with a view that beggared belief. It was a vessel greater than even the ta'shiro's of the Air Caste waiting in the voids of deep space, dragging along behind it an invisible sphere that warped all surrounding light.

"What are our losses?" Aun'va spoke, his previous irritation now replaced with grim focus.

"There are none at the moment, but the situation is a delicate one. The full might of the Au'Taal Kor'vattra did nothing to the alien craft, and Aun'Eldi have opted to try the silken way for now." Something about what Aun'Nel'yun said felt off to Aun'va, who fell silent for a moment before figuring out what the discrepancy was.

"That's not the whole message is it, Aun'Nel'yun? Why exactly has Aun'Eldi saw fit to inform me of something I'd find out sooner or later? What is his true message?" Aun'Nel'yun looked hesitant for the first time since she entered the room. She turned her gaze towards the lowly form of Fio'vre Ka'buto still waiting for his trial. Aun'va followed her and figured out the connection immediately, his stoic facade breaking into an intense glare.

"Absolutely not! This criminal must never walk free under the light of any star that shines in the T'au Empire. I must uphold the ideals of the Greater Good, 'lest we fall once more under the thrall of the Mont'au." Every T'au present shuddered as they recalled the history lessons of those dark times when disunity plagued the T'au race in their homeworld, pitting what would become the Castes against one another. Only by the appearance of the ethereals did the T'au rise above their baser instincts and forge a far-flung space empire that strode astride the stars.

Every T'au present nodded in agreement to that sentiment, including Aun'Nel'yun. She then produced a small data-disk from her person and hand delivered it to Aun'va, giving him the sign of the Greater Good before retreating to where she was with the ethereal guards. Aun'va, feeling that whatever was inside was for his eyes only, raised a privacy screen over his throne before slotting in the data disk. The contents were simple; a contingency plan meant to neutralize the most dire of threats that faced the T'au Empire. At the heart of it all was the invention whose creator knelt before Aun'va, awaiting the Ethereal Supreme's judgment.

In a micro-dec, Aun'va made his decision.