Work Text:
Imperial Cohort Intelligence
Trentham archives, file registration Zero-Niner-CMXCIX-Alpha: Operation Zeghavo
Year IXCMLXXXVII
Debriefing: Lieutenant First Class Morena Tetrophacles
Supervising Officer: Rear Admiral (Upper) Olivia Didacticus
Transcript begins.
Didacticus: Please state for the record that you acknowledge the offer of psychological and legal counsel.
Tetrophacles: I acknowledge the offer and waive my right to counsel of my own accord.
D: Lieutenant, would you summarize events as you witnessed them following your arrival at [REDACTED].
T: Sir. Expeditionary force dropships made planetfall per tactical parameters, and we established a forward operating base on the southern continent. Abe was in command.
D: That would be Captain Abraham Arbata, the Baron of Tisis.
T: That is correct, Sir. I was the senior aide to him and Cor - Captain Coraline Quad, his cavalier. We were moving fast to prepare for action the following day.
D: It took just one day to establish base camp?
T: Abe was exceptionally efficient, Sir. And he was very keen to begin operations.
D: So he lacked patience.
T: With respect, Sir, I’d ask you kindly not to misconstrue my words. Abe put the safety of his command above all other considerations. And he was… especially motivated to return home safely on this occasion.
D: Yes?
T: The birth of his first child was expected in two weeks.
D: I see. Yet despite all this, he failed to notice any sign of what was coming.
T: Sir, we were operating on intelligence that no Edenite activity was present even close to our theater.
D: I have several reports that state there was clear evidence of airborne bogeys.
T: We saw an aircraft shortly before planetside nightfall. It was local design, no enemy markings. Nevertheless, Abe doubled the nightwatch. In the morning there was a small crowd of natives at the camp gates. This was expected - the region was very low density but there were villages in the vicinity. The locals believed we were there to save them from their oppressors. They knew of planets we had liberated previously. Abe was counting on native willingness to act as guides and translators, per standard operational procedure.
D: These individuals were allowed inside the camp?
T: No, Abe was very strict about that. The enemy’s infiltration was entirely my fault, and I take full responsibility.
D: Explain.
T: We were preparing to move out when we heard it. A short, high-pitched scream. Cora sent me to investigate. There was an orchard near the gates, and several locals were gathered among the trees. A woman was there, on the ground. 5'11", black hair. Her leg was broken and she was bleeding from the head. It was explained to me that she had fallen from a branch. I determined that her condition was serious and elected to bring her into the camp for treatment, despite the breach of protocol. I was deceived. I remember arriving at the medical tent; the surgeon was asking me why the patient was smiling. All at once the woman sat up, seemingly unhurt, and a firearm appeared from under her sleeve. She killed Doctor Pentares on the spot. And she…
D: Lieutenant?
T: She was laughing, Sir. She seemed - elated. She removed her shirt to reveal a vest lined with explosive material. More than enough to kill everyone in the camp and surrounding region. The suit was wired into the base of her skull. She explained it was rigged to detonate if her nervous system was compromised. By this point we were outside in the center of the camp. Abe and Cora had arrived. He immediately attempted to engage the enemy’s focus and attention through negotiation, while Cora began subtly to coordinate the evacuation from out of sight. Several dozen personnel had got through the gates before the woman noticed what we were doing and forced us to stop. I believe those who escaped alerted the nearby natives, and a good number were evacuated to a safe distance.
D: Why did Captain Arbata negotiate? Surely he was capable of disabling a single enemy without compromising her nervous system?
T: Sir, this was still the second day since planetfall. Our necromancers were not yet activated. The site remained thanergy-free. The target also had a trigger device, which she threatened to use if we did not accede to her demands.
D: Which were?
T: She wanted us to call down the main force from the ship in orbit. Plainly, she desired a larger number in the blast radius. Abe tried to explain that this was a non-starter. She offered to let him personally leave the area once he gave the order. He appeared to consider this, but it was clear that he was buying time. I could see that Cora had positioned herself on the far side of the enemy and was communicating with Abe via silent expressions over her shoulder. At this point he did something I was not expecting at all. He asked the bomber if she had any children. She did not respond, but I noticed she was no longer smiling. Abe took the opportunity to speak about his own impending fatherhood, and what having a son would mean to him. I confess I was immensely moved, despite the fear and adrenaline.
D: Lieutenant, are you saying that Captain Arbata chose the middle of a hostage situation to wax poetic?
T: I was confused as well, but I see now that the impulse was as strategic as it was heartfelt. While he spoke, Abe was able to move slowly closer to the bomber. At the same time, Cora was closing in from behind. I did not know what they intended to do - if they attacked her, they risked activating the device if she was injured, or an intentional detonation if not. Finally, Abe finished speaking, and he looked directly at me. At this point he spoke his final words.
D: His final-
T: Cora made a sudden, silent motion - with incredible speed and precision. She flung out her arm and her rapier pierced through the back of the woman’s head, emerging from the front of her face. Immediately there was a shrill, electronic sound from the vest, but in the same instant, Abe lunged forward and tackled her around the waist. His whole body rippled with blue-green spirit energy. There was a tremendous magical flare as his momentum carried them into the cavalier. The flames embraced all three, and they vanished.
D: … I see. How do you explain this?
T: Abe was a master spirit magician. To him the solution was quite simple. He used the sudden thanergy bloom from the terrorist’s death to transport the payload to the only accessible site where it would not cause any harm: the River.
D: Captain Arbata could physically access the River?
T: Naturally, he’d never done it before. I believe the apopneumatic cascade may have aided the crossing, but nevertheless it must have been an act of tremendous skill and power, not to mention - emotion. It was one of the bravest and stupidest things I’d ever fucking seen, if you’ll excuse me, Sir. Even if there was no detonation on the other side, they would have been dead in moments.
D: That is a remarkable account, Lieutenant. You must tell me: what were the Baron’s final words?
T: Sir, he looked me in the eye, and he said: “His name is Isaac.”
Transcript ends.