6 013 937.M41
"I… Do not understand."
I shrug as Bo'ohk and I walk side by side through the Fire Caste medical facility. Not.. 'Fire Caste exclusive', it's just that this hospital specialises in treating the sort of traumatic injuries that come from combat. It's increasingly tau practice to stabilise the seriously wounded, then stick them in suspended animation and ship them back to places like this if they can't make them fighting fit where they are. The particulars of tau technology and especially their form of warp travel mean that it's not as inefficient as it sounds like it
should be.
"How may I illuminate your path, honoured Prince?"
I'm getting a
few looks, but for the most part the Earth Caste physicians and cybernetic engineers around us appear to be assuming that if I made it past the guards then I'm supposed to be here, a wonderfully human response which brings a smile to my face.
Bo'ohk-. I stop and turn around when I realise that he's not next to me any longer. He's pinching the lower part of his nasal cleft slightly, an expression which I
think indicates that he's having a realisation of some kind. Though to be honest it could just mean 'some sort of emotional response' and the pinch happens because he's emitting a pheromone that other tau can pick up on but I can't.
"That was intended as a witticism. You choose not to speak as you normally speak, but instead quote the words of the tau you have heard back, implying that the context is the same."
He's learning. Whether he's learning quickly or slowly, in absolute terms or for a member of a caste which mostly just deals with other tau, I can't say.
"That's the surface level meaning, certainly."
Another pinch, then he
nods. An Earth Caste nurse walking past him widens her eyes in
shock and takes a step away from him before hurrying on.
"A minimisation of criticism, or a sign of camaraderie. I have revealed ignorance, a weakness. You use humour to show that you are not annoyed, and that you appreciate my honesty. And to avoid appearing excessively emotional about our friendship, because in your culture certain displays of emotion amongst males are considered inappropriate."
…
Maybe I should have been a bit
less honest when I was explaining this stuff to him and Tsua'm.
He walks up to me, raises his right hand in benediction, and then lays his palm on my forehead.
"I too value our friendship."
He then
pats my forehead, then lowers his hand and walks past me.
I chuckle, then turn around and stride to catch up with him.
"I can't tell if you did that because you don't understand human body language, or to make a point."
"Can it not be both?"
"Hah!"
"Ah. That was not intentionally a witticism."
"No, no. I think you've started to understand me on such an intimate level that you make human witticisms
instinctively. I like it, but you might want to watch it around other Ethereals."
"I doubt that will matter. I suspect that you will be a lifetime assignment. One way or the other." I no-. "You see? A minor insult; the implication that I do not like the idea that I am assigned to work with you until one of us dies. A minor insult to increase feelings of-."
"It-. Doesn't work well if you explain it all the time."
"'Killing the joke'." He nods again as we move into the psychological ward. "I understand."
Here there are members of both the Water Caste and Ethereal Caste. Even tau suffering from post traumatic stress disorder will instinctively calm themselves in the presence of an Ethereal. Even most extreme psychological disorders tend to be moderated by their presence. Of course, the Tau Empire being what it is, they're not focusing their resources on healing the afflicted so much as trying to engineer out the flaws in their society and physiology which allow those breakdowns to happen in the first place. But if it were me, I'd rather have people use me as a case study while I was being cared for than have them turn me into a servitor.
That's pretty much the Tau Empire all over, really. Not
great, just…
Better.
"But if we may return to
productive." He turns his head towards me and
slowly winks, forcing another chuckle out of me. It's so
bad. "Discussion, I do not understand why you are reluctant to be around other humans."
"What would I have in common with them?"
"Almost every part of your biology?"
"Yes, but
apart from that. I came to the Tau Empire because I have more in common with you socially than I do the humans who are part of the Imperium."
"There are humans in the Tau Empire for whom the Imperium is a distant memory."
"And they're not much
less crazy. Look, if you want me to try sharing my mindset with some… If you
really think that's the best use of my time, then… Fine. I'll do it, for the Greater Good. But socially? I prefer being around you and Tsua'm and Shor than I would any human you're likely to find."
Shor's assignment to our group is proof that whoever runs the Lar'shi Fio'ar'tol either has a sense of humour or has been replaced by a drone. She's intelligent, mentally flexible, phlegmatic, and also has a personal name that literally means 'lantern', and was thus naturally the best fit when the Empire called for someone to research the power ring.
"Would you be willing to visit human worlds within the Empire? I would be interested to hear your insight."
"Certainly." We walk through a door into a secure ward. "I-."
"…
approved this-."
Two pulse carbines are
immediately pointed in my face as the bodyguard of the Shas'o who is remonstrating with the Fio'vre overseeing this patient's care decide that I'm not invited. This… Would be
Shas'o T'au Lusha. I'm a little surprised that he's here, but since the whole mess on Dolumar IV was relatively recent I suppose that it's perfectly possible that he's waiting for a new assignment. The fact that I've clearly made a bad impression is unfortunate; given what I know about him he's my second pick if this doesn't work.
The Shas'o approaches, and while the Fire Caste aren't specifically trained in human psychology he appears to have picked up enough from watching human officers to attempt to intimidate me.
"What do you want with
Shas'ui T'au Kais?"
"The Empire wants me to train someone to use this ring-" I hold my left hand out slightly,
a solid orange gauntlet forming around it as I do so, then dissipating. "-in case I die. I agreed, on the condition I chose the candidate. Shas'ui T'au Kais has the psychological characteristics which I believe make him a good choice."
Bo'ohk lays his right hand on my left shoulder.
"Orange Lantern is being honest. Even though he did not know Shas'ui T'au Kais's identification code, he described his actions on Dolumar IV in detail. He spoke well of him."
"He's in a
coma."
I nod,
my eyes flaring as I take a closer look at the patient. Ugh, his sheer
fear at becoming the barbarian warrior some of his fellows accused him of being combined with the stress of his first Trial by Fire is causing him to
keep himself unconscious in order to protect other tau from
him.
This is a man who single-handedly killed a possessed Warlord Titan. Who destroyed a daemon prince in close quarters.
"And I believe that I can fix that." I shrug, a gesture that he
probably won't understand. "You can always shoot me
after he wakes up."
Shas'o Lusha steps aside but doesn't give his escort new orders, their guns remaining firmly pointed at my head as I walk towards the bed. Kais looks like rubbish. His muscles are wasted, and tubes run into him from the life support machines on either side of him. The only decoration is a small shard of glass on the sideboard with 'With pride' written on it.
I
fabricate a small knife with 'PRIDE' written down the fuller and then clamp his right hand around the hilt. Then I lean in a little closer.
Ring, in Gothic.
Ave.
"What a disappointment, Fire Warrior. After I heard of your fearsome deeds, I though that it would please mighty Khorne if I were to test myself against you. And yet, here I find you abed, weak and vulnerable. But in memory of your past valour I will give you a chance. Rise, and fight me. If you do not, I will drag every tau on this planet into this room and sacrifice them as a testament to your coward-."
And there's a knife in my neck and his eyes are
open and staring as he tries to wrench it to sever my carotid arteries and I
transition backwards and heal myself as he
tries to crawl after me, blood-coated knife in hand.
"He's awake!"
Oh, yeah... A 40k Interlude. Cue the Homer gurgles.
