“They’re trying to make us choose.” The Shas’el glares at the hololith with disgust. “They know the AOC will only be able to target one of those ships in time to stop it.”
One of the aforementioned cannon’s operators studies the Shas’el’s face. “So… your orders are…?”
“Target the Gue’ron’sha vessel.” He says without looking up. “We cannot afford to let a single drop pod land in this citadel, or it will surely fall.”
A Shas’vre on the other side of the hololith starts. “But, sir, if we let that cruiser through, the civilians-”
“The other cannons can handle it. We need to take out the immediate threat to ourselves or the whole defense will be lost.” He sounds like he’s justifying things to himself as much as to us. “They’re counting on us prioritizing the civilians over ourselves. They think we know nothing about relative cost. They are mistaken.”
A reverbating thwack of deafening proportions announces the discharge of the great rail cannon. The same operator who spoke before soberly reports destruction of the Astartes ship.
All eyes are fixed on the holographic image of the Imperial cruiser, now directly above the civilian sector. A young communications officer speaks up. “The people… They wouldn’t actually-”
Flashes of lance fire lash out from the underside of the Imperial cruiser, blasting away at the homes of innocents with dull thuds that reverbate through the walls of the citadel despite being miles away. The Shas’el buries his face in his hands.
I answer the comms officer, instinctively making the sign of the Aquila against the evil on the hololith. “Of course they would. It’s the Imperium.”
Moments later, perfectly straight lines of crackling blue energy lance upwards from around the perimeter, fired by each of the T’au citadels. Some shots go wide, though not by much; three score only glancing hits on the cruiser’s hull. The others strike it head-on, passing clean through it with deceptive ease, and in just a few moments more the detonation of the ship’s reactor fills the sky with brilliant light.
The Shas’el heaves an exhausted sigh. “Vre’Aloh, organize relief parties to the afflicted sectors. Everyone else, return to your duties. We must carry on in the name of the Greater Good.” The words are inspiring, but his voice is hollow.
I can only pray that J’karra and the Emperor can forgive me for the sins of my kinsmen.
