Ghost Warrior (Rise of the Ynnari Book 1) by Gav Thorpe

Author:Gav Thorpe [Thorpe, Gav]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2017-10-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The Welcome of Zaisuthra

At the head of the fleet, Ynnead’s Dream was larger than anything mustered by the Zaisuthrans to meet the arrivals. Tailed by cruisers and escorts, the battleship moved sedately along the length of the craftworld towards the docking tower to which they had been issued guidance. In the conference chamber the worthies of Ynnari were fixed upon the glowing image on the display screen, the rest of the hall in darkness, their faces lit by the flicker of green and blue. They scoured the magnified images for every clue to the culture and history of their hosts.

‘See here, that is battle scarring,’ said Meliniel, pointing to an area on the craftworld’s closest flank, where base material was exposed through several long gouges. The surface above was blank, no landscape or dome to be seen. ‘High energy attack of some kind.’

‘I see a city,’ remarked Yvraine, gesturing to move the focus of the image to highlight the object of her scrutiny.

The display expanded, revealing a mountain fastness like a castle­ from legend, its flanks and summit encrusted with towers and bridges, broad highways converging from the plains and surrounding dome arches. It sat close to the prow of Zaisuthra, the tallest edifice in sight, giving the craftworld a front-heavy appearance.

Further manipulation revealed several clusters of hexagonally domed structures at the base of the city-mount. These buildings were squat and functional, unlike any aeldari architecture past or present.

‘Perhaps they are stables or similar,’ suggested Azkahr.

‘Or some kind of penitent aesthetic?’ Iyasta leaned closer, a finger directed towards the square windows and doors. ‘Faux-barbarianism?’

‘I do not like this,’ announced Iyanna, turning away. ‘It feels as though we are looking for excuses to judge them.’

‘If you think they are not subjecting us to equal scrutiny, you are naive,’ said Yvraine. ‘We must learn all we can, the better to conduct negotiations.’

‘Negotiations?’ Iyanna shook her head. ‘This is not a trade embassy. These are our distant cousins, potential allies, not a resource to be exploited. Your time in Commorragh has robbed you of empathy.’

Nobody replied, though all shared the thought that for Iyanna to speak of empathy was rare, if not outright hypocrisy. She had previously espoused great sacrifice, even the ruin of her own craftworld, if it brought about the summoning of Ynnead. Azkahr was, predictably, the one who could not let this stand.

‘Let me say what everyone else is too polite to voice,’ said the kabalite. ‘Even your brief contact with members of your distant family have distracted you from our cause. Sydari is a stranger, even if he shares your name. Your bond of House is no basis for trust.’

‘Do not confuse the Houses of the aeldari for the squabbling kabals of your home city,’ snapped Iyanna. ‘Even across the generations there is loyalty and honour to be found there.’

‘There is no confusion,’ Azkahr replied with equal vehemence. ‘The kabals were born of those noble Houses. I fear you will find Zaisuthra closer to the internecine rivalries of the old dominions than you would like.

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