"No!" Suisxing roared unequivocally. "You will not be trapped there! Mr. Gretchin! I promise you!"
He spun around to face the communications screen in the command center, which glowed with soft blue light and represented the highest command authority. There, representatives of the Ethereal Council had listened to the entire exchange.
"Honored Ethereals!" Suisxing's voice was loud and firm, filled with unquestionable resolve. "Our allies, the Freedom Fighters, have proven their absolute loyalty to the Greater Good with their blood and sacrifice! They won us the final, bloody victory in this war! Now they are in trouble, and we cannot stand idly by!"
Qingliu immediately stepped forward as well, adding, "Yes, honored Ethereals! This is not merely a responsibility, but an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime! The Gretchin have proven their courage and worth. Their very existence is the most devastating blow to the Ork system! Helping them means strengthening ourselves! It means showing our integrity and compassion to every potential ally of the Greater Good!"
From the communications screen, the aged, wise voice of the Ethereal Council's leader slowly rang out:
"Commander Suisxing, Diplomat Qingliu. Your reports, and everything we have just witnessed, have told us all we need to know."
"The valor of the Freedom Fighters will serve as an example for every child in our T'au Empire. Their sacrifice will remind us to remain humble and vigilant forever."
"We will never be stingy with our aid to such heroic allies."
Ethereal Anva paused, then delivered the final ruling.
"I hereby announce, in the name of the T'au Empire's Supreme Council, our formal recognition of the Freedom Fighters as the T'au Empire's highest-priority strategic ally. We will immediately assemble an aid fleet on the largest possible scale and send it to Jade VII, bringing our allies