Editing The Tales of the Emperasque: Part Twelve (section)

==0-094-001-M42==
“How did you even talk me into this?” LIIVI asked angrily. Taldeer elbowed him discreetly. “Just asking. Diplomacy isn’t my thing.”
“Nor mine, to be honest,” Taldeer said faintly. The eldritch glows of the teleporter-suppressant field reactivated around them, and a pair of completely uninterested-looking Custodes stepped forth, shooing off the techpriest operating the teleporter.<br>
“Lady Isha, Farseer Taldeer, Assassin...and guest,” their leader said, pausing for a moment when he spotted Lofn hiding behind her mother’s leg. “You’re expected. The Emperor awaits your presence in the Hall of the Throne.”<br>
“Very well,” Isha said, inclining her head slightly. “Lead the way.” The Custodian turned and walked out of the little tech-shrine, down the halls of the Palace. As they walked, Isha briefly tuned her mind to Taldeer’s. ”Farseer, why is your daughter here? This is no place for a child,” she thought.<br>
”You’ll see, Lady Isha. She has a gift I couldn’t afford not to bring to the table,” Taldeer thought back. Further exchanges were prevented by the sudden arrival of another Custodian, this one in the layered leather and folded adamantine tunic of a Companion in formal, non-combat uniform. He had doffed his tasseled helmet, tucking it under one arm.<br>
“Madams, sir. Your arrival is punctual. The Emperor and the available High Lords are awaiting you. Please, this way,” he said, gesturing at a gilded door set into one wall.<br>
“I was told we would be meeting with the Emperor himself, “ Isha said, following the man into a small conference room.<br>
“And so you shall, Lady Isha, but He decided that a full meeting of the High Lords in his presence would be impossible while so many are involved in the repairs of the Hives damaged in the uprising, and the restructuring of the Imperium He has directed,” the enormous Custodian said politely. He held the door open for the four of them, glaring raw hate at the Assassin as he passed. The Custodian stepped out, closing the door behind him.<br>
Isha walked slowly to the head of the conference table and suppressed a smile. Before her sat sixteen of the angriest people she had ever seen.
They were modified, most of them; augmetics and bionics covered them from head to toe, at least a few. A few were mutants, or looked the role, and one was clearly a Navigator. Among the others, their uniforms were so encrusted with ornamentation and gildings that they looked to have been fused to the furniture.

One seat near the head of the table was empty, with a small iron Fleur-de-leis sitting on the seat cushion. A small hologram of the Imperial Eagle hovered in the center of the rectangular table. The Emperor, notably, was absent, save for another small hologram of the icon of the Throne. The hologram was echoing in the auditory and psychic tones of the Emperor; clearly it was more than just a projector.<br>
“ISHA, SO GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT,” the icon said. “FARSEER TALDEER, LIIVI. WELCOME BACK TO TERRA. YOU’VE BEEN BRIEFED?”<br>
“Naturally,” Taldeer said. Isha took the seat at the head of the table, nearest the door, with Lofn at her left and LIIVI at her right, with Taldeer sitting protectively between her daughter and the others. Lofn was looking more than a little apprehensive, but kept quiet. Clearly, she had no more idea why she was here than anyone else.<br>
“LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I’M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU AND FARSEER ELDRAD ARE WELL ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY,” the hologram roared. “AND THAT I’M SORRY THAT I CAN NOT JOIN YOU IN PERSON. THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRE CLUSTER OF HIVES IS SOMEWHAT TIME-CONSUMING. WHO MIGHT I ASK IS THE CHILD NEXT TO YOU?”<br>
“It is my daughter, Emperor,” Taldeer spoke up. “You’ve met.”<br>
“RIGHT, ON ULTHWÉ. WELL. YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE HERE, SO I’LL CUT TO THE QUICK. HUMANITY AND THE ELDAR HAVE HAD VERY, VERY SERIOUS GRIEVANCES WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT THAT NEEDS TO END. NEITHER OF US HAS THE MANPOWER, OR DARE I SAY, FREE TIME, TO ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER IN OPEN WAR ANY LONGER.”
“Agreed,” Isha said calmly. She let the pause carry on a moment, then serenely gazed over at the cluster of angry High Lords and Ladies at the far end of the table. “Well, that was easy.”

“FUNNY. WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ANY PEACE BETWEEN US IS SUPPORTED BY THE ENTIRETY OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS. A TREATY BETWEEN ULTHWÉ AND THE IMPERIUM IS WORTHLESS IF BIEL-TAN, ALAITOC, ET CETERA, DON’T WANT TO PLAY BALL. YOU, HOWEVER, BOW TO NO CRAFTWORLD. IF THERE ARE ANY SPEAKERS AMONGST THE ELDAR THAT CAN CARRY OUR MESSAGE TO ALL OF THEM AT ONCE, IT’S THEIR GODDESS AND THE DAUGHTER OF THEIR MOST FAMOUS FARSEER.”<br>
Taldeer acknowledged the Emperor’s argument with a slight nod, considering its implications. She was fairly sure that Ulthwé would be willing to halt any future incursions against the Imperium given how frequently they sided together against Chaos, and Alaitoc was surrounded by Necron tombs and still reeling from the Imperium’s utterly botched invasion four hundred years prior, so they would welcome the time to recover. Saim-Hann and Biel-Tan, however, however…<br>
“I’M NOT EXPECTING AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE,” the Emperor said, no doubt sensing their hesitation. “OBVIOUSLY YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH YOUR SEERS FIRST. BUT THE IMPERIUM HAS FAR MORE PRESSING ENEMIES THAN THE ELDAR, AND YOU CAN HARDLY AFFORD TO WASTE FURTHER RESOURCES ATTACKING OUR COLONIES.”<br>
“From what I understand, Eldar attacks on colonies of other races are usually motivated by more than simple land grabs, though, Emperor,” Isha said coolly. One of the High Lords stirred.<br>
“Worlds that the Eldar have never claimed as part of their Empire, now or in the past, have been laid barren by Yme-Loc and Biel-Tan. What could motivate those craftworlds enough to butcher entire populations without warning or mercy, pray tell?” he asked bitterly.

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Isha said honestly. The High Lord – they hadn’t introduced themselves, Taldeer noted – settled back in his seat, fuming.<br>
“THEN LET ME CLARIFY: I’M NOT PROPOSING A MUTUAL NONAGGRESSION PACT. I’M PROPOSING A CEASEFIRE. THE WAKING OF THE NECRONS AND THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL OF WHO EVEN KNOWS HOW MANY MORE TYRANID HIVE FLEETS ARE A HUGE PROBLEM. FOR BOTH OF US. TWO CRAFTWORLDS HAVE BEEN ALMOST COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY TYRANIDS. I’M TOLD ALAITOC IS DECLARING WAR ON EVERY NECRON THEY ENCOUNTER. DO YOU REALLY THINK THE ELDAR CAN AFFORD TO SPEND PRECIOUS LIVES DEFENDING THEIR COLONIES FROM US WITH SO MUCH ELSE GOING ON?” The Emperor directed the question specifically at Taldeer.<br>
She shrugged uncomfortably, a myriad of possible futures racing through her mind. “I can’t disagree unless I know more of what you propose.”<br>
“A mandated cessation of hostilities and an oath to ignore each other’s colonies, exploration fleets, and other habitations zones,” one of the High Lords said. “The Eldar leave us alone, and we do the same. If that works and we both make some headway against our mutual enemies we couldn’t have made at war with the other, we extend the treaty even longer.” Isha looked over at the High Lord, as if noticing his presence for the first time.<br>
“And what role do your enforcers play, Grand Provost?” she asked pointedly. He looked a bit disgruntled that she had known his name without prompting, but answered.<br>
“I would be responsible for ensuring that Arbites deep-space anti-pirate forces leave your ships alone unless they keep raiding our convoys, in conjunction with our Navy. How did you know who I was?”