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chronicle-of-isha · 9 days ago

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Chapter 14: Vengeance Hate Guilt and Sin

(Several minutes before the first shield failure of the Bucephelus)

Galowen watched the Mon-keigh laser weapons fire and miss once more as the Eclipse cruiser Moonstalker's gravitic drives pulled itself out of the way. The path of the beam of light had already been predicted by his foresight, even before the firing teams on the enemy ship had even entered the targeting solutions into their primitive cogitators.

'They shall not last long.' He thought to himself. The humans had been firing continuously for over an hour, and he knew from past raids that their plasma generators and capacitor banks should be running low. Even now some of their largest and oldest ships had already gone silent, merely drifting in the void.

The humans must have felt themselves clever with their sudden encirclement, courtesy of the psychic powers of the burning creature on the largest Mon-keigh ship. However, they had failed their execution. It was almost effortless to predict and avoid the lances firing in succession. They only needed to predict a series of points to dance around in sequence. If the Mon-keigh wanted to overwhelm them, they should have at least tried to coordinate their attacks to fill every possible point the Aeldari cruiser could have ran to at the same time in a single salvo of laser blasts from a minimum of two flanks.

Galowen allowed himself a small chuckle as he steered the ship out of another blue-white beam of photons before it even registered on the sensors; ship tilting and swerving like a falcon riding an updraft.

Of course, what the Mon-keigh should have done was not what they could do. Such a concentration of fire power would drain the human ships dry after several salvos, barely leaving enough energy to maneuver or raise their void shields to protect against any potential Aeldari counter attack. In fact, if they had their strike craft, the Aeldari could already be destroying several of the flanking ships. However, all of their fighters and bombers were already at the flagship, waiting for its shields to fall.

A smile crossed his face as one of the Pulsars from an Aeldari cruiser scarred the flagship's armor followed by several balls of plasma.

The positioning of the Mon-keigh ships betrayed the existence of a third flank, but even that did not bother Galowen. If the third flank hadn't appeared on their sensors by now when the two battlegroups on either side were nearing energy reserve depletion, it must be composed of smaller ships Running Silent. That meant that most of the ordinance carried by the ships' of the third flank would be the archaic macro cannons and batteries that fired unguided shells with unreliable warheads. Such munitions were easier to avoid than the laser weapons he dodged now, not even requiring foresight to weave into the deadly void-dance he and the other mariners lead the Moonstalker through under the shimmering holofields.

Even surrounded on three flanks, the Mon-keigh would need almost Aeldari levels of coordination to ensure all their munitions would hit every possible avenue of escape at the same time. However, at this range and with this much space between each ship in the Aeldari fleet, dodging the fire of all three Mon-keigh flanks was well within the abilities of any of the mariners aboard all of the Aeldari cruisers.

Suddenly, Galowen saw something in his foresight that made him look down, as if he could see through the Wraithbone floor of the ship itself; eyes widening in disbelief at the sheer idiocy the Mon-keigh would throw themselves into.

'Activate Runic Targeting Nodes! Deal with them as we would the green-skin!' He cried out through the psychic net.

However, the vision in his foresight refused to fade; even as the Starcannons' psychic guidance systems sent balls of plasma curving almost 270 degrees towards the targets that had just appeared on the ventral side of the Aeldari ships, even as the gravitic drives and solar sails moved to avoid the incoming attack, and even as the escort craft of the Aeldari fleet moved to intercept the enemy.

The true danger of humans is not their intelligence, for the Aeldari are far wiser.

Neither is it their cunning or brutality, for the descendants of the Krork are the epitome of both.

It is their sheer unpredictable, arrogant, and disobedient nature; for one moment they are dogmatic dogs to doctrine, but at the blink of an eye every veneer of civility, professionalism, and sophistication is dropped to reveal the almost feral animal that lies within them all.

—----------------------------------------

(Almost a half-hour before)

Captain Cedric of the Dauntless-class Light Cruiser Thunderous Valor watched the light from the lance fire of the Vengeance Grand Cruisers, Hades Battle Cruisers, and Lunar Cruisers of the 5th, 8th, 11th, and 12th Terran battlegroups flanking the Xenos ships crisscross in sequence above the hidden fleet he was part of; a rag-tag group of escorts and light cruisers assembled from the remains of raided worlds. All of them had been either rescued from the pillaged wreckage left by the Xenos, or arrested.

Captain Cedric and all his crew had entered into the service of the Emperor via the latter; for they were all deserters, cowards who had fled from their homeworld.

He still remembered the events of that day with crystal clarity.

After the flagship leading the planet's defense fleet fell to the aliens, he and several others abandoned the battlefield. What good would a few light cruisers and escorts do against ships that tore apart a battlecruiser in mere moments?

However, it may have been better to have died then and there than to have survived.

Somehow, they continued to receive Vox communications from the planet they had left behind. Calls for help came from the panicked remains of the defense militia on open channels. Civilians, barricaded in whatever strongholds remained, begged them to return. Then those cries turned into screams; mixed with the melodic alien laughter of the creatures that had chased them away.

It had taken several laspistol shots through the Vox instruments for the communications to stop.

Every night had been a nightmare from that moment on. The voices and sounds that came from the Vox, before their fear and rage forced them to destroy their own equipment, echoed in their dreams. The auditory stimulation recorded in their memories turned into vivid images as they slept; filling their slumber with a front row seat to a torture show starring their loved ones.

Cedric's family had been left behind on the planet, as well as all the families of the men and women onboard. He could not be sure, but he felt that he heard the voice of his wife and two children on the Vox. It was them that appeared every night, and he could do nothing but watch as they were violated in every way he could have possibly imagined.

It was the second week after they had abandoned their homeworld that they ran into the fleet from Terra. Cedric remembered the moment. He had been eyeing the laspistol in his lap, turning it over and over in his hands, when the auspex array lit up and a titanic vessel of unknown origin exited the Warp right next to their ships. They did not try to run, even as the boarding tubes of the unfamiliar vessels attached to their hulls. Death would be a release at this moment, and the many sleepless nights had taken a heavy toll on all of them.

The men from the titanic ship boarded, debriefed, and then arrested all of them. For three days, Cedric and his men sat in the brig of the Bucephelus, only interrupted by the occasional medical check-up. Then, they were dragged in chains for an audience with the Emperor.

"The 5th, 8th, 11th, and 12th battlegroups lance fire cannot last much longer." Lieutenant Commander Gideon called out, returning Cedric to the present. Gideon was the senior officer in charge of the auspex arrays, and it was his duty to inform the bridge of all events of note. "Current rate of fire projects capacitor bank depletion in 90 minutes. They're draining them faster than the plasma generators can replenish them."

"Are the Vengeance Grand Cruisers still firing?"

"Yes Sir."

"Then it is not yet time."

"As you will Sir"

Cedric returned to watching the lance fire above them. Each one was a guiding light, ensuring his ship, and all the others knew which way to go. Every ship that traveled below the plane of engagement traveled in complete silence. Besides not being able to use the Vox, that also meant any sensor sweep or scanner pulse was out of the question; for the electromagnetic energies used to scan for targets would betray their location. That meant they flew blind in space, for the distances involved in void combat meant the human eye was about as useful as the light sensing cell spots on a clam.

However, even at this great distance, the lance beams of the Terran battlegroups were bright enough to follow; contrasting against the blackness of space. All they had to do in order to identify the direction they had to travel was record the positions of the sequential lance beams. The intersection point between the beams from the two battlegroups on either flank of the Xenos provided them a general idea of where the Xenos ships were.

Cedric smiled, as he overlooked the bridge crew from the dais that held the holomap and his command throne. Soon, it would all be over. It was almost poetic that the ship class that would give the signal for them had the same name as what the Emperor had promised them. The thought sent his tired mind back into memory as they waited for their signal.

When Cedric met the Emperor, he was overwhelmed with shame and could feel the displeasure and disappointment radiating from the golden being before him.

However, although Cedric was sure the only reason they had been dredged up from the brig was to serve as an example for traitors and cowards, the Emperor did not have them executed.

"Rise Cedric." The Emperor's voice boomed, and Cedric realized that he had been prostrating himself; face and knees almost buried in the deep red carpet that lined the audience chamber of the Emperor.

"Your fear has caused the deaths of many, and now it seeks to kill you with your own hands."

Tears blurred Cedric's sight, as he raised his head.

"There is only one path for your salvation."

The Emperor took a single half-step forwards, and the harsh sound his armored foot made against the floor was that of a gavel in a courtroom.

"Return to your ship, Captain."

Soldiers marched from behind, and unshackled Cedric's wrists and ankles.

"I promise you neither your life nor your freedom. However..."

The Emperor spoke as Cedric rubbed his wrists, like a pauper begging for some small scrap of mercy.

"Serve me and you will have your vengeance."

At that moment, a searing flame burst into life in Cedric's heart. Despair, fear, and self-pity burned away like cobwebs before a torch. His tears dried as he rose to one knee, and bowed his head.

"What will you have me do, my Lord."

From that point forward, Cedric and the thousands of other cowards like him followed the Emperor; charging into the ranks of the very Xenos they first ran from at a single command. This was the only path left for them, and only in their death did duty end.

"Vengeance Grand Cruisers lance batteries have gone silent!" Gideon cried out, returning Cedric to the present.

"Sound the alarm." He ordered one of the bridge staff, before turning to another. "70 degrees dorsal turn. Use the gyros for as long as possible, but prepare the emergency thrusters. Vox officer, maintain radio silence until we're detected."

Men and women rushed to their seats at their terminals as flashing red lights and sirens began to blare through the ship. Cedric himself sat back in his throne and buckled himself in; shoulder straps and harness securing him to the well padded backrest.

"All hands, all hands. Brace for Impact. Brace for Impact. Secure all equipment and personnel, immediately. Repeat…" The automated recording continued to play as the ship began to turn towards the intersecting beams of light above them.

Slowly, the Thunderous Valor rose towards the Xenos ships, still flying with minimal power and invisible to almost all sensors. Then, the balls of plasma fired from within the alien holofields that had been flying over them suddenly turned, heading towards them like guided torpedoes.

"All ahead full!" Cedric ordered, and the 6 drive thrusters roared to life, accelerating the ship forwards as several hundred other light cruisers and escort class vessels did the same.

Cedric grunted as the G-forces from the acceleration that weren't blunted by the shock absorbing fields and support structures of the command deck shoved him into his seat.

"Break radio silence! Prepare the escorts to fly in formation!" Cedric shouted out from his throne, and the Vox officer only nodded as she struggled to reach the keys on her terminal; arms straining against the sudden acceleration that threatened to crush every bone in the crew's bodies. "Master Gunner! Open port and starboard macro cannon blast doors!"

Massive shutters opened on either side of the ship as the cannons beneath them moved forwards. Several smaller ships, only a third the length of the cruiser, formed up besides, above, and below them.

"Xenos plasma weaponry impact imminent!" Gideon called out.

Balls of plasma tens of meters in diameter descended upon them. The first few targeted the escorts, stripping away their shields in several shots before burning through the hull.

One of the escorts exploded as a ball of plasma swerved around the thick armor on the prow and burrowed into the base of the macro cannon turrets on the dorsal side of the ship. Ammunition silos detonated, tearing the Sword-class frigate in two from the inside out; front and back halves sent in opposite directions by the orange ball of molten metal and gas that came from breached generators and macro shell warheads.

"Adjust course!" Cedric ordered. "Point us directly at the enemy fire, and maintain the escorts' formation!"

They were almost within the Xenos ships' formations, blurry images of the alien vessels now visible even to the naked eye.

"Enemy escorts approaching!" Gideon called out.

Smaller dart-like Xenos craft approached rapidly; responding to the infiltration of their battle lines by the humans. Coordinated plasma fire and Pulsar blasts tore through another escort, with the plasma fire of the cruisers stripping the shields as a separate escort fired its Pulsar weapon at the exact moment the shields fell; piercing the enginarium room of the escort in a single strike, leaving it drifting in the void.

"Master Gunner, fire macro cannon batteries at will! Keep the enemy escort class vessels away from us!"

The command deck of the Thunderous Valor shook as both of its batteries opened fire. Salvos of shells flew in opposite directions with timed warheads, detonating before the Xenos escorts, forcing them to turn away or risk flying into the wall of explosions before them.

"Entering Xenos holofields!" Gideon cried out, and the entire holomap went haywire. The green image of the ship remained in place as the entire map spun wildly around it, unable to reconcile the fact that every sensor told the ship's cogitators it was currently flying through a solid object.

Cedric gripped the armrests of his seat as the view ports were obscured by blurred images, then the cloudy mass of blue and gray disappeared like morning mist as they exited the holofields and returned to the blackness of space.

"Status report on the escorts!" Cedric shouted.

"We're missing the Adlerauge!" Gideon replied, and Cedric's heart leapt in his breast.

"Vox officer!"

"We have their coordinates!" The woman replied. "Transmitting to Vengeance-class Grand Cruiser Executor's Wrath!"

Hundreds of kilometers away, the fully charged lance batteries of a ship over 6 km long turned to the coordinates of the Adlerauge, adjusted to spread several degrees around the craft, and fired. Dozens of beams of light went through the holofield, then the shimmering mirage disappeared as the torn form of the Xenos cruiser appeared, Adlerauge embedded deeply in its port side. Lance batteries had cut right through its solar sails, and pierced both it and the Adlerauge, destroying or disabling the holofield in the process. But, before the Executor's Wrath could fire again, the Adlerauge exploded. Like a wedge in a piece of firewood struck by a hammer, it split the Xenos ship in two as all its fuel and ammunition detonated; damaged from the lance blasts from their own allies.

Cedric watched all this but did not despair. This had been the plan all along.

Aeldari holofields, their nimble ships, and inhuman reaction times made them a difficult target to destroy. Given time they may have defeated them conventionally, but with every Aeldari ship hellbent on destroying the Bucephelus, time was not on the human's side.

Thus, they employed tactics from two ancient battles against their enemy.

The first was the battle of Midway, where the Japanese carriers depleted all their available fighters before being ambushed by the Americans. This was mimicked by baiting the Aeldari strike craft into attacking the Bucephelus. With all their strike craft gone, the Aeldari cruisers didn't have the sufficient patrols to identify the human's hidden fleet. Not to mention, their bombers would have made short work of the lightly armored and lower mass targets that every human light cruiser and escort class vessel was.

The second battle was Trafalgar. Like the British ship-of-the-line in ancient times, the humans' light cruisers and escorts penetrated deep within the Aeldari's formations. There; they charged to point blank range where even the Aeldari could no longer avoid their shots, cluttered the battlefield with their wreckage, and even dived head first into the enemy ships to reveal their position under the holofield for the flanking Terran battlegroups to fire at.

Any Aeldari who tried to escape from the charging light cruisers and escorts had only one assured avenue of escape; upwards. But that path was now being covered by streams of lance fire from the Hades Battlecruisers and Lunar Cruisers; no longer required to fire inefficiently on purpose to show the blind tertiary battlegroup where to go. Thus, with every attempt to go upwards met with salvos of coordinated lance fire that criss crossed to form a latticework of lasers in a makeshift net, the Aeldari were forced to dodge and weave in the vicious melee the humans engaged them in.

The previously silent Vengeance-class Grand Cruisers also now fired all their lance batteries at any human ship that collided with the Aeldari, for only they had the firepower to ensure a kill in a single salvo.

This was the trap of the humans; for now the Aeldari were surrounded, divided, and avoiding fire from every possible direction inside and outside their formations. An unpredictable mish-mash of ship collisions, close range macro cannon fire, and lance batteries overwhelmed their psychic foresight. Worst of all, the suicidal human escorts and vengeful light-cruisers flew straight at them in wide formations, forcing them to move away to avoid ramming; making their movements predictable, allowing a few to be downed by concentrated lance fire.

As Cedric's cruiser and escorts flew into the holofields of another Xenos cruiser, forcing it into the path of several lance beams as it attempted to avoid them and their macro cannon fire, the Thunderous Valor shook as something penetrated its void shields.

"We've taken macro cannon fire to the prow lance!" Gideon called out.

This melee was as dangerous to the humans as it was for the Aeldari. In this relative close range for space combat with unguided macro shells flying from every direction, friendly fire was frequent in occurrence.

"Scramble repair teams!" Cedric shouted back. "Turn the ship around! Dive back into their formations!"

Maneuvering thrusters burst into action, sending jets of burning promethium from the front port and rear starboard, turning the ship 180 degrees back into the fray. They would use the Xenos vessels as cover against the fire of their own allies.

Cedric grunted as the turning of the ship dug the harness into his neck.

There was a snap on the bridge and one of the terminal operators was flung out of their seat, safety harness torn from the G-force, and flung into one of the walls with a bone shattering crack. Thankfully, each function on the bridge was manned by three operators; physical redundancy to ensure sudden deaths did not reduce the ship's operations.

"Xenos escort closing behind us!" Gideon called out, and one dart-like ship appeared on the holomap, slipping through the still burning wreck left behind by the alien cruiser before zipping behind them like a bee. Plasma fire stripped the shields of one of their escorts, before a Pulsar beam pierced the engines of the ship with pinpoint precision; tearing it apart from the inside as it detonated the fuel reserves in the ship.

"Order our escorts to proceed to the next target!" Cedric ordered. "Bring our guns to bear on that Xenos!"

The nimbler escorts would have a far easier time closing with the Aeldari cruisers, and they were numerous enough to expend as tracking bullets; to embed themselves in the Wraithbone of the enemy ships to allow the Vengeance-class Grand Cruisers coordinates to target.

Maneuvering thrusters coupled with magnetic gyros in the stubby wings of the Thunderous Valor wrenched the ship sideways; superstructure of the ship groaning as it strained against inertia. However, even as the prow side macro cannon batteries fired, the Xenos escort had already shifted sideways; sidestepping the human's shells.

The entire ship shook as the Xenos Pulsar beam pierced the prow side stern of the ship, cutting a hole meters in diameter through the hull just above the engines.

"Hull breach on multiple decks!" One of the bridge crew cried over the screaming alarms that threatened to drown out his voice. "Engine core is still secure, but we've lost all power to the void shields!"

"Evasive maneuvers! Don't let them get another shot!"

Promethium flared from maneuvering thrusters across the ship as it rolled and turned in random directions, twisting the hole bored by the Xenos away from its line of fire. Then the starboard macro battery detonated from within, tearing out the side of the ship; neutering half of the vessel's remaining weapons.

"Status report!" Cedric shouted, spitting out blood from a bitten lip.

"Critical damage to the starboard macro cannon battery!" The secondary Master Gunner reported; primary operator lying in his harness, neck broken from the sudden change in direction the explosion had caused.

"Cause!"

"A shell came loose from the magazine! We cannot continue firing with these maneuvers!"

"No!" Cedric shouted back. "Continue evasive maneuvers, and ready our port-side weapons! We hold the line here and now! Keep that ship distracted for as long as possible!"

"Xenos escort incoming!" Gideon cried, and the entire ship shook again as the Pulsar struck the ship in the exact same spot, cutting deeper into its innards.

"Enginarium room breached! Emergency venting of main plasma drive in progress! Output dropping to 12%!"

Cedric gnashed his teeth in rage. His ship was rendered virtually immobile in space.

"Enemy escort approaching!" Gideon cried out.

"Then we take them with us!" Cedric spat, pounding his fist against the throne's armrest. "Open all fuel valves! Unlock all ammunition silos! Detonate as soon as the enemy gets in range!"

As the crew began to carry out his orders, the Vox officer raised a hand.

"Captain, we're receiving a hail from one of the Bucephelus's bomber squadrons! Sending to central holoprojector now!"

An image flickered into view above the center of the bridge, allowing the entire staff to see the masked face of the Squadron commander of the bombing fleet.

"Thunderous Valor." The pilot, face obscured with breathing apparatus and helmet visor, said in a monotone voice. "This is Squadron Commander Samuel Carter. Respond."

"This is Captain Cedric Mathius." Cedric responded, almost growling with bitterness.

"Captain Cedric, cease all operations and wait for recovery."

There was a crack as one of Cedric's molars splintered as he clenched his jaw.

"I have them!" He spat back at the holographic image that loomed above them.

"Your life is not yours to give, Captain." The Squadron Commander responded. "You serve the Emperor of Mankind. Obey."

The image disappeared, and Cedric roared in fury, breaking the bones in his hand as he slammed it against the command throne. There was a moment of silence on the bridge, with only the drip of blood from his hand and the splattered remains of some of the unfortunate crew whose safety harnesses had snapped.

"Disconnect main plasma drives and switch to secondary. Redistribute power to life support and begin macro cannon battery cooling procedures." He said bitterly, and the crew slowly obeyed him.

Once again, he had survived.

Once again, vengeance had been his.

But, even as he watched the bomber squadron rush past the view ports to swarm the fleeing Xenos escort; melta-bombs boring holes into the Wraithbone, burning the vile aliens inside before blowing up the entire craft, the fire that the Emperor lit in his chest burned hotter and hotter.

—----------------------------------------

The Emperor watched the remains of the Aeldari fleet crumble, opening a portal for Isha to return as he watched the last few ships push through the remains of the tertiary battlegroup, falling to the planet below as lance fire followed their path. Only a few ships remained, and even this number would be reduced as the free fall they were now trapped in was easy to follow with weapon fire.

More would burn up in the atmosphere. Even now one of the damaged cruisers disintegrated in the thick abrasive ash filled atmosphere; pockmarked hull creating excess friction in the clouds, letting off sparks of lightning as it broke into several fragments. Only one or two would reach the surface.

That still meant a potential few hundred Aeldari survivors. Aliens who were hardier than they looked, and could sing matter into existence. Given enough time, they could rebuild their ships; possibly even create a functional colony for them to breed and increase their number. Not to mention whatever Isha had hidden on this planet.

Their mother did not trust the Emperor, and would have surely taken some precaution to protect her children. There was a high probability there was either some weapon or means of escape hidden on the planet below. She had chosen it for them after all.

The portal shimmered as Isha walked through it; eyes swiveling to the Emperor before moving to follow the trajectory of the Aeldari ships still falling towards the planet.

The Emperor's eyes narrowed as he watched the creature display emotions of sadness.

It was disgusting, hypocritical, and far far too late.

'You have no right.' The Emperor thought to itself. 'Your tears are too little and too late. Now watch the ending of a race that lived without sacrificing anything.'

The Emperor remembered visiting the Aeldari Pantheon, tens of thousands of years ago; traveling through the increasingly turbulent immaterium to find answers or assistance for its mission. The shining gates and walls were made of white Wraithbone inlaid with red black crystals, with artistic sets of runes engraved upon almost every surface. The massive structure seemed never ending; stretching off to either side in the Sea of Souls as far as warp sight could perceive, and hiding everything beyond the border through its sheer height.

Hundreds of other beings made of thoughts and dreams waited near the gates; sitting, standing, squatting, alone or in groups. They were either huddled here for protection, as the more violent neverborn were driven away by the silver sentinels that watched the gates at all times, or in the hope for an audience with the titanic alien gods beyond.

As the being that would eventually become the Emperor drank in the sight, catching its figurative breath after the long wearisome journey, it felt the hairs rise on the back of its neck as the feeling of being watched crawled over its skin.

Upon the spiked battlements of the white walls, a feminine figure cast her eyes over the view beyond her home.

The other creatures here could also feel her gaze, for they quivered and quailed as the invisible touch of her eyes crawled over them.

The Emperor's own eyes looked up to the Aeldari goddess, and although she was so far away only her long silvery hair and soft silhouette allowed determination of her gender, they locked eyes for a brief moment.

In that moment everything was laid bare, and the Emperor felt almost naked before the goddess; with every scar and shame inspected by the alien creature high above.

Then the moment was gone, and the goddess retreated from view beyond the walls.

As the Emperor collapsed to its knees, panting from the experience, a cruel realization of the futility of coming here crystalized in its mind.

It was not that these aliens could not do anything to help.

They would not do anything to help.

For in that momentary look that Aeldari goddess gave, she had decided no further attention was necessary. Every pain, every sacrifice, every life that composed the would-be Emperor and all the others before the silver gates was only worth a single glance of her divine eyes.

Boiling anger replaced exhaustion and chilling fear as the Emperor understood this, narrowed eyes and furrowed brow looking up once again only to glower at the empty battlements.

With all their power, all their experience, all their knowledge those creatures would do nothing. Even as beings far smaller and weaker than them spent every moment just trying to barely survive.

That was the first contact between part of the subconscious of humanity and the Aeldari Pantheon, but it was not the last.

"Do you still want to convince them?" The Emperor asked, hiding the irritation that grew at the sight and sound of the alien.

"Even if I know the outcome, I must try." She replied with a wan smile. "Are you so impatient to end your work here?"

"We will deploy troops to the ground regardless." The Master of Mankind replied. "Orbital or even aerial bombardment always leaves the possibility for survivors. Whether you join them or not is your decision."

"I will join your troops to the planet, if it is only to say my final farewell to my children." There was a moment's pause before Isha looked up into the brown eyes of the Emperor. "I have other questions for you."

The Emperor stared back at her coldly; neither refusing her request nor affirming to receive it.

"The battle is mostly over, and it will take time to prepare your troops." Isha took a step forward. "I wish to know how my children will survive under your rule."

"And what will you do with that knowledge? Do you think yourself to be in a position to bargain?"

Isha's voice was growing more aggravating to listen to, regardless of the content. The song of life that threatened to distract and create doubt before the Emperor seemed to come from every syllable uttered by her.

"If you seek to threaten me with your spell, then it is a pointless bluff." Isha retorted. "Seeing your people's weapons, I can see that stolen knowledge only serves you so much. There is more I can teach you willingly than being forced to."

The Emperor's eyes narrowed.

What she said was true. The knowledge of the Void Dragon was alien to all things, and it was only through blind obedience and slavery that the Necron were able to follow its designs. Although the Emperor could use the knowledge to circumvent the more archaic Necron weapons and defenses, humanity's attempts at imitation through las technology and their more exotic blades was a far cry from the originals.

Isha was not as alien as the Star God, but her knowledge would still be difficult to pry from her mind. Her fabled knowledge of gene sculpting and flesh work would be useful, especially after Isha's incident with the Xenobiologis had rendered them unusable.

"Then what do you offer for my answer?"

It was unlikely Isha would part with such valuable knowledge so soon, but it would be interesting to see what she saw to be an equivalent exchange for her question.

"Part of my children's birthright lies buried on this planet. Protection from your followers or any other who would harm them." Isha gestured to the planet. "A platoon of Psychomatons from the War in Heaven to defend them should the need ever arise. I give their service to you."

The Emperor snorted at this. A one time offer of weapons that would be slaved to her, and the revelation of her deceit. Although she had only asked for knowledge of the Emperor's plans, it was an arrogant offer regardless.

Then again, if she had offered what the Emperor truly wanted, she would have been a fool; and fools were sometimes more dangerous than the most intelligent adversary.

Regardless, there was no need to allow her an easy bargain.

"You think this revelation of your trickery buys you any favor from me?" The Emperor answered, brown eyes glaring down into Isha's silvery ones.

"Neither of us trusts the other. Would you have done any different?"

The two stared at each other; wild animals observing the other for an opening, muscles tensed but fangs still hidden beneath lips.

—----------------------------------------

Isha watched the Emperor warily. Wisp of dark green and blackish brown flickered in its brown eye; parts of the information Isha exchanged with it earlier stoked the original flame that burned within its gaze, fuelling a preexisting rational rage with irrational disgust and loathing.

She knew those feelings well, for they were the same colors she saw in herself before she went to implore Asuryan to activate the edict.

"Forgive me." She said, breaking eye contact by bowing her head. "This line of debate is meaningless." Her voice was steady, but quiet. "Knowing that you yourself would make the same choice only means that you are aware of the cost and the risk of such a decision. That gives more reason to hate than to forgive. However…"

Gesture of acquiescence made, Isha turned back to the Emperor.

"Know this, Protector of Mankind. My actions are for my children's lives, not their empire."

There was another pause between them as the Emperor continued to glower at Isha.

"You children will live, for the moment." The Emperor finally replied. "I have other matters to attend to, and it is better to leave Chaos preoccupied with its latest prize."

"You intend to use them as a shield against Chaos?" Isha asked calmly.

That was a predictable outcome. Humanity as it stood was still fractured, and the Aeldari that survived outside the Webway had many years to prepare for the birth of the Warp and She who Thirsts. They were the best equipped to push back the Ruinous Powers that now threatened to expand beyond the permanent Warp tear.

Racial pride also ran deep within the survivors. Even without the feeding habits of the children here, meeting humanity as it was now would not end well for either species. Especially if they learned of how their divine mother had been treated by those they would certainly call Mon-keigh.

For now, separation was the best for the safety of both.

"The current Warp is a product of your species." The Emperor growled, misinterpreting her statement as an accusation. "Why should I or my people intervene on the behalf of those who caused their own destruction."

The statement irked Isha, for although partially true, it belittled what they went through and the future Lilieath had sought to avoid.

"Be that as it may, do not deny that my children's battle serves all." She replied almost instinctively. "Do not forget what you and every other creature in this galaxy owes them."

"I owe neither them nor you anything." The Emperor took another step forward, looming over Isha; ignoring the double meaning of the War in Heaven and the battle against Chaos her children had fought and would fight. "I will take what will not be given, steal what will not be gifted, and destroy anything that stands in my path." Hot ash filled bonfire air and the metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils. "Those are the laws that all will survive under in my domain."

—----------------------------------------

The Emperor looked down at the smaller Aeldari goddess. Her current form was only the height of the average Aeldari, which meant her head only came up to the midriff of the golden terminator armor that adorned the Emperor's body, so her neck was forced to crane backwards almost painfully to return the Master of Mankind's gaze.

The chlorinated stench of ozone and the earthy scent of mud flowed from her as the air around them began to whirl in a spiral. The smell was like the smoldering remains of a lightning strike in the middle of a stormy night over a brackish puddle.

Her lips parted, curled angrily to retort, but stopped themselves. Instad, her parted lips relaxed, turning whatever curse or argument she was about to utter into a ragged breath; intaking and exhaling air, to cool and vent the heat of the anger she no doubt felt.

"You will not pursue them like the ones here?" She spoke quietly and the atmosphere of the bridge stilled; air returning to the various vents that circulated oxygen throughout the ship.

"As long as they remain out of reach and out of the way, they will remain unharmed by my hand."

Isha gave a dry chuckle at that. Humanity would expand across the stars, and would eventually reach the Aeldari. When that happened, there was no question as to how the meeting would take place.

"I suppose I should be thankful you do not hold them hostage against me." She replied dryly.

"That can be arranged, if you forget your place."

Isha's brow furrowed at that, and she lifted an eyebrow questioningly.

"Where does your hatred towards me come from?"

Hate?

The question paused the Emperor for a moment. The Aeldari were arrogant and dangerous. They were responsible for the birth of an atrocity beyond understanding or imagination. However, these feelings of aggravation and irritation that bubbled in the Emperor's chest were more than that.

Isha was right. The Emperor hated her, and the feeling had been growing ever since the battle with the Aeldari began. A battle that could have been avoided.

The answer to Isha's question and the ones that would no doubt follow solidified in the Emperor's mind.

"From the knowledge of what you are, and what you have done."

"And what am I in your eyes? What sin have I committed against you?"

"Do not feign ignorance. I know the legends of your people, and how everything came to pass."

Isha snorted derisively at that.

"You think some incestuous love my daughter felt for Kurnous caused all of this?"

The Emperor's teeth grated together. That was not the point. That was not Isha's fault or the cause of all that happened.

Something snapped in the Emperor.

"If only you and your daughter kept your damnable mouths shut, none of this would have happened!"

There was a silence after the Emperor's outburst as Isha's eyes widened with shock. Only the quiet beep of the holomap and electronic buzzing of lights and instrument panels could be heard.

Internally, the Emperor cursed and readied the spells required to summon the sword and chains necessary for battle. This was not the time nor place to fight Isha. However, contrary to expectation, Isha did not lash out or retort.

Instead, a great weariness radiated from her as she broke eye contact and crossed her arms.

"So, you blame me for stopping Khaine as much as you blame Lilieath for spurring him on." She said quietly.

"Am I wrong?" The Emperor spoke slowly, still prepared to draw sword and chains. "Khaine's slaughter of the Aeldari would have reduced their number and their power to a fraction of what it was."

Isha did not reply, instead her fingers squeezed her arms leaving red marks on her upper arms.

"The fourth Ruinous Power is only as great as your species made it. If you had kept quiet and let the necessary sacrifice take place, neither of us would be here."

That was the sin that the Emperor saw Isha guilty of. Whether it was her weakness or love for her children, she stopped Khaine's slaughter of the Aeldari which led to the eventual birth of Slaanesh. Worst of all, the method she used to stop Khaine stopped all interaction between the mortal Aeldari and their gods. If Isha had stayed silent, Chaos would have been far less powerful, and Slaanesh would never have been born. The Aeldari may have been a far smaller power, but they would not be doomed to eternal torment.

All of this suffering both of the Aeldari and every other race which fell to the Ruinous Powers was in part caused by Isha's cry to Asuryan. The Aeldari gods knew this, and yet they did nothing to stop it.

That could not be forgiven or forgotten.

"There is a human parable of a train and tracks with humans tied to it." Isha suddenly spoke. "You wish to argue in utilitarian terms, then let me explain my actions with ones you are most used to."

The Emperor snorted. It was a simple thought experiment. A train traveled along a track that split into two paths. The track the train would pass over normally had 4 people tied to it. The other track, which the train could be diverted down by a person pulling a lever, only had 1 person tied to it.

Let 4 die, or change the direction of the train to let only 1 die. The answer was simple.

"It is always better to sacrifice the few to save the many."

Isha gave a sad, tired smile at the Emperor's answer, as if listening to a child giving the right answer to a different question.

"If the one changing the direction of the train is unaffected by their actions, then you are correct. But, what happens if the act of sacrificing one to save many is counted as murder? Will the person change the direction of the train if they are guilty of the death they cause?"

Was that Isha's reason for calling back Khaine? The Emperor's lips curled.

"It is a crime to stand back and do nothing." The words were spat out with venom, but Isha's eyes flashed at the words and not the tone of the statement. Her eyes bored into the angry gaze of the Emperor with a purity of purpose that was unexpected for one he thought had given up on the hard choices before her.

"Do not attempt to equate sin with sin." Her voice was quiet, but there was a seriousness in her tone that made the Emperor stay silent. "If all are guilty, there is no difference between the outcomes besides the number of dead. In that world, every sinner might as well be innocent so long as the ends justify the means, with the reverse being the same."

"You speak of sin and guilt…" The Emperor replied slowly. "But what does a goddess of a pantheon who did nothing know of justice?"

"I was judge, jury, and executioner of entire worlds before you were born." The chlorine stench of ozone returned as Isha spoke, followed by the smell of hot dusty air and sulfur. "Lilieath and I knew what the result of our actions would be, even if we hated ourselves and each other for making them."

"And this is the best you can do?" The Emperor stepped back, turning to the side to show the view visible from the bridge of the Bucephelus; a view filled with burning Aeldari ships and broken human vessels.

Isha walked past the Emperor towards the empty space and let her arms fall to her sides.

"I asked Asuryan to stop the slaughter." She spoke, tone vacant as she stared out into space.

"I bent the rules of the very edict I called into place with Kurnous and Vaul. I paid for my disobedience at my father's hand. I waged war against my own family as the mortal empire of my own children descended into interstellar strife with itself. I suffered their disobedience and ungratefulness as they forgot all of us. I watched them descend into depravity even as I held back the growing powers of Chaos."

Her head was bowed, as if she was fighting back tears.

"I did my best, paid the price for my actions and many others besides me."

Her voice was almost a whisper, then she turned back towards the Emperor. Eyes clear and wide open as she raised both of her clean white hands palms upwards before her.

"This is the reward for all my efforts."

There was a long pause between them as the Emperor tried to untangle Isha's words.

This death and destruction, the eternal perversion or reality, the birth of a new Ruinous Power were the best the higher beings he had seen so long ago could manage?

"Then the power of gods truly has no meaning."

If this was the best they could manage, then whatever powers they seemed to possess meant nothing.

"Say what you must to soothe yourself." Isha walked right up to the Emperor, even if the height difference forced her to look almost straight up to meet its gaze. "I look forward to seeing where your path finally takes you."

Several moments passed as the two glared at one another, neither accepting the other's conclusion.

The Emperor would always pull the lever, no matter how much blood spattered it as the train ran over the lesser number of people.

Isha had not pulled the lever when the train came, and from her inaction the Aeldari died and the Warp was born. Yet, she stated that was the right decision for that moment.

"Send me to the other ships that hold your people prisoner." Isha finally broke the silence between them, looking away at the same time. "I would prefer to spend my time there than in conversation with you."

"Then go." The Emperor raised a hand, and a small hand held communication device unlocked itself from one of the terminals and floated towards Isha. "Contact me via the open channel registered on that device when you wish to move to the next ship." The Emperor said as it turned away from Isha, glad to get rid of her from its sight. "Surely the sophisticated ships of your people can replicate the signals necessary."

Isha left through the new portal without a reply, leaving the Emperor behind.

A heavy sigh came from the Emperor, stress and annoyance leaving with the air. Calls would have to be made to the troop transports on the Bucephelus and other transport vessels. The Aeldari survivors would be most likely holed up in the remains of their ships, and it would be pointless to assault them with conventional forces. The God-Machines would be necessary to cut them out. Not to mention the news of the Psychomatons on the planet.

The Emperor had honored their agreement, and told Isha what she wished to know. Now, it was time to see whether she would uphold her end of the bargain.

—----------------------------------------

Lilieath's consciousness awoke blind, deaf, and still unable to speak. She was unsure of what was around her or what awaited her next.

She who Thirsts had endless creativity.

At times the torture was brutally simple, the defilement almost base like the lusts of simple criminals and barbarians who killed and raped to satisfy their overpowering urges.

Other times they were more intricate, with acts and scenes like a theater play in order to give a poetic beauty to the pain and pleasure upon the stage.

Sometimes it was almost scientific, with physical bodies prepared for her essence to be housed in so chemicals and sensory stimulation could be simulated in order for her to experience mortal sensations in an almost experimental fashion.

On the rare occasion, she was simply given to the many hands, claws, and tentacles of the Keepers of Secrets as a temporary reward for their service. She was the goddess whose voice first called Slaanesh according to Aeldari legend, and the daemons of the god or goddess of excess worshiped her in the twisted way only they could imagine.

In these short quiet moments while She who Thirsts was either distracted or busy preparing some new diabolical sensation, Lilieath used what remained of her Truth to return to the past in dreams, providing some small solace for her sanity; even though Slaanesh would never let her go insane.

This time, her dreams were not as pleasant as she would have wanted, for they took her back to the time her mother found out what she had told Khaine.

The sky had grown dark and stormy as lightning sparked between black clouds and the winds howled outside Morai Heg's room where Lilieath sat on her grandmother's shoulder.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Isha stormed inside, teeth bared and brow furrowed.

"LILIEATH!" The ground shook as her mother called her name, and a gigantic hand reached for her upon her grandmother's shoulder. "What have you done!"

Just as Isha's hand was about to close around Lilieath's entire body, Morai Heg's remaining hand closed around her wrist.

"She did what she had to, daughter." The old crone spoke quietly as thunder rumbled outside.

"It was not her decision to make!" Isha shouted angrily. "They are my children! That is my duty, my burden to bear, my Truth! NOT HERS!"

Lightning struck just outside, sending shards of Wraithbone flying; only to be seized by the winds and dragged upwards into the black sky. All three goddesses did not move; three divine generations all with the best intentions at heart yet completely different conclusions.

"Then you know what you have to do in order to go back to that path."

Thunder echoed as another lightning bolt crashed down outside as Isha's lips curled, baring her teeth at her mother and daughter. Then she yanked her arm from Morai Heg's hand, and stormed back out the room before hurricane winds lifted her skywards towards the palace of Asuryan.

Moraig Heg sighed as Lilieath watched Isha enter the palace as drops of rain began to fall from the sky.

There was a flash, and a pillar of silver flames shot up from the palace, penetrating the clouds. Then, a second orange pillar of fire descended from the sky, slamming into the courtyard just outside the palace. A few seconds later, Khaine emerged from the flames, sword still bloody from the planets burnt to cinders before Isha's cry to Asuryan to activate the edict brought him back.

The flaming head of Khaine turned towards the entrance of the palace as Isha stormed out of it. Father and daughter glared at each other for a moment, Isha's fists balling into fists as she watched the blood drip off of Khaine's blade.

There was a banshee cry, and the entire Pantheon shook as father and daughter tore at each other's throats; rocking the very foundations of the Pantheon as their titanic forms clashed. Winds roared and lightning flashed, sending thunderous booms to echo over the Wraithbone city that creaked and groaned as the very ground heaved with Isha's rage.

Moments later, silver chains wrapped around both, dragging them away from each other as Asuryan stepped from his palace.

"The edict has been activated as decreed." The Phoenix King said, tone quiet and unemotional. "From this point forth, all contact with the materium has been forbidden."

Isha sank to her knees, chains clinking as the rain grew heavier, soaking through her clothing and sticking it to her skin.

Khaine remained standing, raindrops hissing as they hit his flaming form. His burning eyes glared at Isha's bowed head.

"Are they worth everything that can and will be lost, daughter?" Khaine finally said.

"They are my children." Isha whispered. "They are my duty, my responsibility."

"Then words are useless." Khaine tried to take a step forward, but the chains only groaned and did not give.

"The Goddess of Life has acted accordingly." Asuryan spoke. "You do not have the right to take what is not yours."

"Do you not see what is to come, brother?" Khaine asked, turning to Asuryan.

"I have seen it all, but it is not my choice to make." Asuryan turned towards Khaine, releasing Isha from her chains as he passed her. "I am the Phoenix King of this pantheon. The matter of mortals is to be left to their decision."

"It is also hers." Khaine pointed an accusatory finger at Isha, still kneeling in the rain.

"And she has decided to invoke the edict." Asuryan replied, matter of factly.

"Then make her choose otherwise!" Khaine roared, orange flames flaring up even as the chains stopped him from moving.

Asuryan shook his head, then lifted a hand summoning a series of runes that laid out the law of the land.

"As long as the edict remains unbroken, I cannot allow any harm to come between any of us."

The chains binding Khaine disappeared, but his feet refused to move towards Isha.

"Is it love for them that makes you stand in my way?" Khaine asked Isha quietly, flames receding to reveal a well tanned muscular figure. "Or is it fear for what you will become?"

There was no reply from Isha who remained kneeling in the rain, eyes wide as she searched for some way through what was to come.

Khaine snorted. It was a pointless effort. If Isha's daughter saw this as the only way forward, then this was the only way. All that was left was to act.

If Isha could not do it safely, he would. He could slaughter the Aeldari with no remorse. He had done so with all those who had refused to fight during the War in Heaven. There were no enemies that could threaten them now, but if the Aeldari themselves threatened them, then they impeded their gods just as much as the cowards of the ancient past did so. Thus, there was no internal conflict within Khaine's Truth.

Isha was a far more complicated creature. One he was both proud of and annoyed by.

"I do not understand your or her idea of balance." Khaine muttered, turning his back on Asuryan.

"I am the fulcrum that takes neither side." Asuryan said, rubbing a finger besides the white and black rune that was ascribed to him. "She is the scale that swings to and fro."

Khaine sighed, then shrugged. "All I see are enemies and allies." Then the God of War walked away from the courtyard, leaving Asuryan to deal with Isha and Kurnous who had just arrived.

'Mother...' Lilieath thought to herself, returning from the sad dream to the eternal nightmare that was her reality.

She could feel She who Thirsts approaching. The smell of musk, sweat, and sexual fluids filled the air; informing her of the current mood the creature was in and what form of excess it wished to indulge.

At the very least, her mother was free. So long as Isha walked with the Aeldari, there was hope.

For when the Goddess of Life answered the call of the Aeldari during the War in Heaven, victory was always assured.

#warhammer 40k #40k eldar #eldar #fanfic #isha #emperor of mankind

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