196 People, 196 Fates

"He's over there, that Imperium of Man machine-handler."

The Water Caste member Po'Niwa'an spoke. The Xenos used High Gothic fluently, yet the High Gothic from its mouth lacked the arrogance Maijia had heard from those lords.

On the contrary, the language sounded remarkably warm coming from this gray-blue-skinned Xenos.

Maijia swallowed. After betraying the Imperium of Man, he had been assigned to a T'au Empire diplomatic security team as the Xenos guard of the Water Caste diplomat Po'Niwa'an.

"Was he wearing red robes? If so, we call people like that Tech-priests."

"Tech-priests."

Po'Niwa'an repeated the term thoughtfully. Then the T'au lowered its head and thanked Maijia gratefully.

"Thank you for explaining that. I recall that the Imperium did indeed have such people—but regardless, thank you, Maijia, for the addition.

It is people like you, willing to serve as bridges between our races, who advance peace. For the Greater Good."

Po'Niwa'an kindly placed a hand on Maijia's shoulder—human lords rarely did such things. They would have found Maijia dirty and lowly.

Maijia swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

"For... for the Greater Good."

He echoed it like a parrot. The T'au beside him gave him an encouraging smile, then deftly drew the human into conversation. Amid those gentle words, they arrived.

"You're here."

The moment Maijia saw that T'au, he nearly took an instinctive step back. The female T'au within the XV22 commander battlesuit was tall and stern, her gaze like a sharpened arrow aimed directly at Maijia.

"Good day, Commander Shadowsun."

That was the only alien phrase Maijia understood. Then Po'Niwa'an began talking with "Commander Shadowsun." Under the Water Caste member's gentle tone, even the hard-faced T'au woman, as though veiled in shadow, became somewhat more amiable.

Then Shadowsun nodded at them and stepped aside from the sealed door behind her.