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Submitted: May 9, 2010
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Emperors Will be done Pt17.5by ~DustyGrafix

Fan Art / Digital Art / Drawings / Games

Here is the next part.

Previous: [link]
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Deviant's note: I apologize for the delay with some of your requests, people. Things should be slowing down after the convention this upcoming weekend, and I can being to finish more pics. I have a panel to host on Saturday, and my presentation isn't finished yet.
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Kai’Faan took a metal device from the back of his belt, shaped almost like a railroad spike, and had Xin stab it through a pod all the way to the stalagmite. She informed me that this is going to take several Decs (….um…what?). The device apparently records various samples from air temperature and humidity, various minerals associated with the relative cavern, and the health of the plants. She said the Fio, or Earth Caste will use this data to replicate the exact environment for mass production. We have to give it time to accurately gather all details.

Great…..time isn’t what we have to spare.

Kai’Faan has also produced some small containers that opened on one end. We had both been instructed to gather the seeds from certain colored pods; apparently these had been ripe for planting. I told Xin’Vauk to relay a message to Kai’Faan that the scanner has to find another route out of here. Whatever is within these caverns with us (hopefully I’m wrong) might be where our last camp had been.

Xin’Vauk and I worked for a time (I’m guessing an hour) to gather a seeds within the pods that Kai’Faan had deemed “ready.” The injured scientist worked on with his calculations and data-gathering with excited eagerness.

Then the unexpected happened. I heard a mechanical whirring noise downstream with some clicking. Looking over, I had noticed two eerie reddish glowing eyes in the darkness. I pounced on my gun, and turned to aim at the red eyes. Just before I pulled the trigger, the target in question came closer to the light just as I fired.

Did I see this correctly? It was no ork or gretchin. It was no native creature lurking about, nor was it extra help from the Tau. I swear I saw a servitor skull. Just floating there before I shot a bright blue pulse into the forehead. As it fell lifeless into the river, it left a stream of smoke that had that familiar smell of incense. What I thought had been voices had been the whirring and clicking echoing through the chambers. The river and caves distorted what I thought I heard. This servitor skull must have been a recon scouting probe. Where there more? I don’t know, and at this point, I don’t care. Whoever sent this one either knows we are here, or will find out from lack of response from the now dead skull sinking within the river.

I was confused and a little worried. Looking at Xin, I couldn’t tell if she knew what I was thinking, but her concern matched mine. In my short time in the Imperial Guard, I hadn’t known that they would employ such tactics. Maybe I am too new to realize this. It was my first time seeing such devices. They were quite rare on my planet if any at all. I doubt any had been in service back home. I had remembered pictures scribed within holy books back in town square when Mom used to take us to the cathedral to worship the Emperor.

Looking back to Kai’Faan, he was busily typing calculations within the scanner. Kai’Faan said something excited to Xin’Vauk (damn the warp, I wish he could speak Low Gothic, I couldn’t understand Tau). Maybe he found a way out upstream. I think we won’t be alone soon. I moved towards the Xeno spike in the pod to pull it out, but Kai’Faan yelled something to me that seemed quite desperate. Xin relayed to me that he needs more time to analyze the samples. “A few more Decs.” Whatever that means.

Looking at my hand that gripped the spike embedded within the pod, I had to come up with something:

1) Who, or whatever is using servitor skulls for scouting, I am certain that they found us. I’m guessing they will be on us within an hour, or even less. If we gather our samples now and move, we can move upstream, and “hope” (maybe just wish) that Kai’Faan had found a way out. As long as we keep moving, our foe will struggle to catch up (I hope). We have the seeds, and I’m sure the spike gathered enough environmental data. That should be enough to save that dying Xeno colony.

2) Listen to Kai’Faan and stick around for a few Decs (whatever that means). They have gone so far to get to this point, and to not see it through might be dreadful for their research. If the curious party in question shows up, Xin and I can hold up here and use the cavern created by the river to bottleneck the target before we open up. Hopefully, Kai’Faan can get the data he needs. To escape, ah…well…um, I will cross that bridge when I get there. Emperor forgive me for I may give all I have to keep Xin’Vauk and Kai’Faan alive.
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I will close the votes on May 17

love 2 2

joy 2 2

wow 2 2

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

fear 2 2

~~neutral 0 0~~

~Warhamer116 Jun 11, 2011

NINJA MOVES B*TCH!
lol /love this series

~AssassinsFear Feb 13, 2011

A Dec is the equivalent of a Tau hour which is approximatively 1.5 Terran hours long.
Hope this answers some questions.

~DustyGrafix Feb 14, 2011

Yeah. I don't really put in the translation in the story since the whole thing is in the eyes of a young farmboy recruit who doesn't know much of anything about the Tau. I leave it up to the readers to find the translation.

Thanks.

~damon771 Jun 12, 2010 Hobbyist Artist

any soon will be a new episode ???

~DustyGrafix Jun 17, 2010

Just posted. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for being so supportive. It really helps.

~Alexei-Yaruk Jun 7, 2010

My Vote goes for 2. We can't come back after more data, but we can cut and run at a later time. When the opponents show up again then pull the spike and engage in a fighting withdrawal.

~DustyGrafix Jun 17, 2010

Sorry for the delay. I just posted the next part. And for good measure, it went your way.

~pepea Jun 5, 2010

ESTA HISTORIA ESTA MUY BIEN ECHA good work ^^

~DustyGrafix Jun 17, 2010

I am glad you enjoy it. I hope you hop along and help with the story.

~pepea Jun 17, 2010

OK.^^I really like THIS STORY

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