206: Ether and T'au'va

It got up, got instantly killed. What was there to say?

Mortarion calmly and peacefully worked on poison gas in his laboratory. Since Guilliman had ascended the throne, he had not relaxed so easily in a long time.

Countless reports streamed across the holographic projection before Mortarion, while Death remained unruffled as he handled his reagents. Things were roughly as he had expected—

The T'au Empire likely intended to fight the Imperium of Man to the death at the second defensive perimeter. Even if they failed, they would buy time for the Ethereals in the T'au Empire's core regions to escape.

Mortarion did not believe the T'au could develop faster-than-light travel comparable to a Necron-plus-Underking modified version in such a short time. Therefore, the Ethereals had only one means of escape: Warp transit.

The good news was that Mortarion had not seen anything resembling a Geller field aboard any T'au Empire vessel. Based on the T'au Empire's explanations of Psychic Power, the primarch concluded that these creatures likely had no idea what truly lay within the Warp.

When the time came, they might intercept the T'au escape ships within the Warp and let them experience its wonders firsthand.

But...

Mortarion's hand holding the test tube paused for a moment. He thoughtfully raised his head, and through the small observation window of the chemical room, Death began calculating instinctively.

The Warp field within the T'au Empire was not calm. This might have been because they were developing a Warp route for escape, but beyond that, Death sensed a presence far more familiar to him.

He recalled what Konrad Curze had said—no matter. Hades had warned Death before this expedition to watch out for similar Warp Entities.

Death gave a soft laugh.

What capital could a false construct worshipped into existence by