T'au, the Ethereal High Council Chamber.
Supreme Ethereal Aun'Va sat upright on his floating throne. His wrinkled face still held the godlike serenity and compassion that inspired billions of subjects to worship him. But the knuckles of the hand gripping his staff had turned slightly white from the pressure.
On the enormous holographic star map before him, the Strong Shield-01 system, once a symbol of absolute defense, now flashed a horrifying deep crimson. It was the highest alert color, signifying "total collapse" and "beyond logical analysis."
"...That is the complete record, honored Supreme Ethereal."
The holographic image froze on the final scene: a line of endlessly repeating, meaningless gibberish stretched across the center of the screen, like mocking graffiti the unknown enemy had scrawled across the T'au Empire's face.
Aun'Va shut off the projection. Suffocating darkness engulfed the chamber, broken only by the faint glow of the diamond-shaped crystals on the foreheads of several Ethereals.
"This is not war."
Shadowsun slowly stepped forward. Her XV22 stealth battlesuit remained pristine white, but her gaze had changed. The passion and impulsiveness that had once belonged to Shadowsun were gone, replaced by eyes that seemed to have witnessed countless centuries of war.
"This is not war as we understand it, Supreme Ethereal." A rare gravity colored Qingxi's voice. "These enemies possess a bizarre technology beyond our own. They passed through our defenses as though moving through air."
Just then, another, even more urgent intelligence stream flooded the chamber's data terminal.
"Alert! Seventy-two critical nodes in the heart of the empire, including the Sea of Tranquility supply line and the Enlightener communications relay network, are under simultaneous attack!"
A new holographic map unfolded. The once-peaceful rear sectors now resembled a canvas splashed with red ink, warning lights flashing everywhere.
"Where are our rapid-response forces?"