Part 8 (2/2)

aWe will see,a was his non-committal reply, which he muttered with an edge of defiance.

As they watched, the corsairas signature seemed to pick up even more speed before it blinked directly into the image of the asteroid and vanished. The sensors showed a spray of debris scattering out into s.p.a.ce, and the warp sensors flashed to acknowledge a momentary rupture in real s.p.a.ce, presumably caused by the destruction of the corsairas engine core.

aBring us back three thousand metres,a said Octavius, his thoughts still suspicious. He had never heard of dark eldar raiders committing suicide rather than engaging in battle. Something was not right. aIf that vessel struck the blind side of this asteroid at that speed, then we should be able to detect a s.h.i.+ft in the rockas movement.a aNot crash,a said Dhrykna, still staring at the viewscreen. Her eyes were scrunched in disdain, as though she couldnat believe what she was seeing. Her expression made Octavius think of the way that he felt when he looked at the crude, clunking technology of orks.

aYou said it could not stop.a Octavius turned to face the Aspect Warrior and drew himself up to his full height in front of her. He looked down into her alien eyes for the first time and steadied himself before their spiralling depths. aIf it didnat stop, and it didnat crash, where in the Emperoras name is it?a aNot emperoras s.h.i.+p,a replied Dhrykna, her face cracking into an uneasy, alien smile. aGone home.a aThe asteroidas trajectory shows no signs of having sustained an impact, captain. The corsair did not hit it.a The anonymous voice carried a tone of certainty.

aFine. Iam through with this cat and mouse game,a said Octavius. aLetas see whatas on the other side of this rock. And you,a he said, addressing Dhrykna directly, atell us what you know about this.a aYour no enough good technology?a she said, raising an eyebrow in an unnerving imitation of sarcasm.

aLook, whether you like this or not, weare in this together, alien. Our primitive technology was enough to pursue and destroy five of these corsairs, which, apparently, is more than your precious Ulthwe Shadowhunters have managed to do. It has also been more than enough to deal with your own warbirds in the past. So stop with this pompous self-righteousness before I have to kill you too. If youare not going to a.s.sist, then you may as well be dead. This is not a pa.s.senger s.h.i.+p. The least you can do is help us to understand what the dark eldar are doing. I presume that you know?a Octaviusa tone was harsh and full of accusation. His patience with the arrogance of the eldar was growing thin. It wasnat as though they were doing him any favours a the Deathwatch were here to help them, for the sake of the Throne.

aLet they you them follow,a hissed the warlock from behind. aLet they you them kill. Too easy. Not right is something.a Octavius turned slowly as he fought to control his anger. He couldnat believe the audacity of these creatures.

There was silence, then one word. aDhrykna.a aWhat? I donat have time for these riddles,a snapped Octavius, returning his gaze to the white armoured Aspect Warrior at his shoulder.

aMy name,a she said softly, bowing her head. She was honouring him as a fellow warrior, acknowledging his performance even if Shariele refused to do so.

On the edge of anger, Octavius paused. He had expected the presence of the eldar on the Lance of Darkness to fray the nerves of some of the others. But he had not seriously considered the effect that they might have on him. Pelias, in particular, had simply retreated into the vesselas chapel with Chaplain Luthar, where he had remained for the duration of the pursuit. Sulphus had taken himself off to the armoury to administer to his various augmetics; he had hardly even seemed to notice the eldar, as though dismissing them as merely two extra bodies of flesh on the s.h.i.+p. The Mantis Warrior, Kruidan, had greeted them when they first came aboard, giving them the honour of a warrior. He had appeared without his armour and with his long, black hair hanging freely over his impressive shoulders, ritual tattoos snaking intricately over his chest, neck and face. Only Atreus had shown a calm self-possession, accompanying the eldar onto the control deck with the captain and then standing with quiet attention and surveying the scene. Octavius granted himself no s.p.a.ce for personal reactions a it was all about duty a so his anger disturbed him.

Exhaling heavily, Octavius nodded in return, recovering the professionalism and composure for which the Imperial Fists were renowned. aGreetings Draknar. I am Captain Octavius of the Emperoras Deathwatch. Let us see this through together so that we can both be rid of it.a aComing about,a said one of the serfs. aSwitching the viewer.a Octavius and Dhrykna held each otheras eyes for a moment longer, as though sharing a new, unspoken understanding and resolve. Then the captain nodded and turned to face the screen.

The dark side of the asteroid rolled into view as the Lance of Darkness skirted around an easy orbit. The surface was veiled in deep, uneven shadows, and it took a few moments for the optical enhancers to adjust.

aAtreus. Any ideas?a asked Octavius, his eyes widening at the view that confronted them. The Blood Ravens librarian was a fount of knowledge.

The centre of the asteroid appeared to have been blown out. It was so concave that it seemed to be bigger inside than out, as though the giant bowl had been scooped through the structure of the rock and then out of the other side. Around the rim were a series of small, metallic structures, which pulsed with tiny constellations of lights as though alive with power. Stretched out between them were threads of energy, like a giant web of darkly burning beams, forming a net that covered the mouth of the immense cave. The s.p.a.ces between the threads s.h.i.+mmered and shone like a mystical patchwork, as though filled with individual, geometric pools of warp energy.

aItas some kind of webway portal, captain,a replied Atreus, inspecting the image carefully. aThe corsair must have dived through it when it hit the asteroid.a aGone home,a muttered Dhrykna, nodding slowly as though in agreement.

Octavius nodded smartly. aTake us out two thousand metres and then bring us about. We may need a run-up for this. Letas find out what kind of cursed place these aliens call home.a A veil of darkness hung over the elevated podium in the centre of the Seer Chamber. It s.h.i.+mmered like a black, velvet curtain, silent and seductive. A rich, sickly scent seemed to ooze out of the folds, diffusing through the chamber like a narcotic, as though a dense collection of psycho-reactive drugs were simmering on the other side. The wisps of smoke and fragrance carried whispers and ideas, curdling around themselves into nauseous contradictions.

High up on the domed ceiling, angular patterns of violence started to course through the structure of the chamber.

Standing next to the podium, watching the veiled darkness billow and flow, Thaeaakzi and Eldressyn were transfixed. They were alone in the grand chamber, the rest of the council having left after they had briefed Dhrykna and Shariele. The moody Karizhariat Seer, Ruhklo, had swept out of the sacred hall in disgust, with his cloak billowing dramatically in his wake, and with the other seers striding along behind him.

He did not approve of the presence of the mon-keigh on Ulthwe, and he certainly did not believe that they could be trusted with the fate of even a single eldar soul. Sending two of the craftworldas finest warriors to accompany the primitive fools just seemed like arrogance and wastefulness a not even Shariele and Dhrykna could salvage the immature stupidity of the humans. They would die alongside the mon-keigh and their souls would be lost to the infinity circuit. Sending them away from Ulthwe was almost like dispatching a gift for Slaanesh himself. Ruhklo of the Karizhariat could not understand why the council would let this happen. He could not understand how Thaeaakzi had convinced Ulthran himself of the plan and he was furious that the words of the sapling seer, Eldressyn, seemed to carry a weight equal to his own on the council. He had served Ulthwe since before that wych had even been born.

Eldressyn had never seen anything quite like this before. The darkly fluttering curtains of shaaiel rippled with an alien energy, and her heart raced. The seduction of the forbidden thrilled through her body, making her nerves tingle and her eyes widen. The almost impossibly light fabric of her white robes seemed to blend with the smoke until it was difficult to distinguish where her clothing ended and the sickly emissions began.

In contrast, the Emerald Seer was calm. Her implacable green eyes stared levelly at the podium as she waited for the visitor to take a more appropriate form. She had seen it all before. Indeed, she could clearly remember the first time that she had stood before the sacred altar alongside Ulthran himself. He had initiated her into the necessity of foresight and diplomacy for a craftworld free-floating so close to the cursed Eye. Now she would initiate Eldressyn in turn. The young seer was eager, ambitious and thirsty for forbidden knowledgea yet everyone thought that she was so naive and idealistic. She was perfect, and Ulthran had picked her himself.

As she watched, Thaeaakzi narrowed her fathomless eyes. The eddying, narcotic smoke stung her senses, but it was her memory that troubled her. Always in the back of her mind was the day that she had been summoned back to the Aspect Temple of the s.h.i.+ning Spears. She had once been a warrior of their ranks, bedecked in the pristine whites and silver-blues that made them s.h.i.+ne like beacons in the darkness of Ulthwe. But that had been before she had taken her first steps on the path of the seer, before Eldrad Ulthran himself had taken her under his wing and begun to mould her soul into an image of his own.

There were many rumours about what had happened on that fateful day, when Thaeaakzi had returned to the temple, responding to a call felt deep in her soul. Ulthwe had been under attack by a force of mon-keigh warriors that had spilt out of the Eye of Terror, disfigured and terrible to behold. The young Thaeaakzi had been riddled with doubts and despair at her own impotence. Her hard won powers as a seer appeared to offer the forces of Ulthwe little in their fight against the defiled intruders. She could see the events cascading back from the future, but she had no power to alter those events herself. With despair in her heart, she had found herself back in the great crystal courtyard of the Temple of Light; her soul was weeping.

Wandering the almost deserted, labyrinthine corridors of the temple, she had eventually found her way to the sanctum, wherein lay the untouched, ceremonial masks of the s.h.i.+ning Warlocks. As soon as she laid her eyes on the masks, she realised what she needed to do. Only by combining the paths of the seer and the Aspect Warrior would she be able to attain the kind of power that her soul craved. Only by becoming a warlock of the s.h.i.+ning Spears would she be able to a.s.sist in the battle for Ulthwe.

Yet the masks refused her touch. She tried in vain to conquer their spirits. Sitting in meditation, she battled them for three days without cessation or rest. When she finally emerged from the sanctum, although the mon-keigh a.s.sault had been defeated outside, so too had Thaeaakzi, and her eyes had changed colour into a glaring, emerald green, the traditional colour of defiance and despair. In her mind, she felt as though she had battled the spirit of Khaine himself.

As her eminence on the Seer Council had grown, rumours had started to circulate about her time in the sanctum of the Temple of Light. She had done nothing to stop them. Without exception, they were all more flattering than the actual events of those three days. After a while, a consensus had developed around Thaeaakzias silence: she was too humble to sing of her own virtues, but she was in fact the only seer in living memory to have received the call of Khaine and to have refused it successfully. She had been summoned to the Temple of Light and, after three days of struggle, she had emerged triumphant as the Emerald Seer a defiance incarnate.

Her failure in the sanctum had become her greatest victory, but it had also turned her will against the rapidly diminis.h.i.+ng, s.h.i.+mmering Aspect. She had used her influence and her power to ensure that the once glorious Temple of Light recruited fewer and fewer Aspect Warriors, pus.h.i.+ng the minds of the potential aspirants towards darker places, pus.h.i.+ng them inevitably towards the Dark Reapers. In her arrogance, she hardly noticed the effect that this was having on Ulthwe itself.

Ah, Thaeaakzi. The thoughts were like a breath in her ear, whispered and intimate, easing her out of her reverie.

The veil of dark mist on the podium had faded into semi-transparency, becoming little more than a curtain of vapour. Behind it could be seen a shapely female form, writhing in what might have been either pleasure or pain. Its outline was not quite distinct, and its features were blurred behind the veil, but it emitted such an intoxicating air that it might have been the most seductive figure ever to have graced the Seer Chamber of Ulthwe.

Eldressyn inhaled sharply, as though gasping. A waft of vapour brushed against her skin, sending a s.h.i.+ver trickling down her neck like a bead of sweat.

And who is this beautiful creature? Have you brought me a gift, Thaeaakzi?

I have already sent you a gift, Lelith. A great gift, exactly as we agreed. The Emerald Seeras composure was admirable.

Ah yes, the mon-keigh warriors. Their souls are strong. They will bring much satisfaction, I am sure.

Despite their power, they are stupid animals. They may need some guidance.

Did you not provide any guides, Sister Thaeaakzi? As she spoke, the wych queen seemed to reach a slender arm out from behind the veil to caress the transfixed Eldressyn.

I am not your sister, Lelith.

The Mistress of Strife had gone too far. With a flick of her hand, Thaeaakzi vaporised the apparition of Lelithas arm, severing the wychas connection with the young Ulthroon Seer. And Eldressyn is not part of our bargain. You will not touch her again.

A feeling of rich disappointment flooded out of the image on the podium. It was mocking her.

Oh, you are so serious, Thaeaakzi. Lelith seemed to be enjoying herself.

I have sent two guides, Lelith. Enough to rea.s.sure the mon-keigh that we are serious, but insufficient for them to be of any real help.

May I have them too? Lelithas thoughts were playful and flirtatious.

Letas call them a sign of our good will, Lelith. Take them and be gone.

Oh, fear not, my most colourless of sisters, I will take them. And then she was gone, leaving only a shapeless, amorphous cloud of sickly sweet mist to dissipate over the podium.

Eldressyn jolted suddenly, as though being dropped to the ground from a great height. She is gone? Her thoughts were tinged with sadness and resentment, like those of a child that had fallen asleep before it wanted to.

The stars flickered and swam, pulsing as though on the edge of death. A dull red mist replaced the vacuum of s.p.a.ce, as though seeping through the ruptured capillaries of the immaterium. It was as though reality itself were bleeding besieged by incredible pressures from unearthly realms, like a diving bell stranded in the impossible depths of an ocean.

As the Lance of Darkness powered out of the web-way portal and pushed through the chaotic, swirling fog, the warp intrusion alarms sounded continuously on the control deck, filling the ancient vessel with steadily flas.h.i.+ng red light and an ululating siren. The s.h.i.+pas machine-spirit could sense the insidious violations that licked at its armoured plates, and its concern about the lack of a navigator onboard was evident. The vessel was not equipped for warp travel, and the vaporous mist of warp energy through which it pa.s.sed confused its sensors. However, its warp s.h.i.+elds held, because it was not submerged in the maelstrom of the warp, it was merely ploughing through the dense, eddying s.p.a.ce of the Eye of Terror, like an icebreaker. The boundaries between material and immaterial s.p.a.ce in this zone were permeable; droplets and shards flickered in and out of existence in each realm, struggling against their natures to survive in unnatural and alien dimensions. It was a field of perpetual death and life, a chaotic miasma of swirling vapours and intoxicating energies.

aSensors?a asked Octavius, staring up at the vague, ruddy mist that obscured the scene on the viewscreen. He couldnat see anything.

aNothing, captain.a The s.h.i.+ps sensor arrays were as confused as Octaviusa own senses.

aKeep trying,a said Octavius. aGive me visual on the main viewer. We need to find that corsair. Switch to long range scanners. It could be anywhere by now.a We do not need your sensors, captain. We know where the darklings have gone.

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