A section of wall across the platform irised open, a robed figure emerging into the sunlight to meet them. Palmatus kept his face expressionless as he saw that the figure was not Stal, but human. The man was powerfully built, though nowhere near as formidable as Taelos. His skin was deeply tanned and lined, the texture of old leather and his eyes sparkled with wry amusement. He raised a hand in greeting and Palmatus could see the outline of a faded Imperial Eagle tattooed on his forearm.
“Greetings. My name is Harmon Delphi and I welcome you to T’olku,” said the man Palmatus did not respond to this unable to hide the displeasure arising on his face. The tattoo on Delphi’s arm marked him as a soldier of the Emperor’s army and, in the Imperial eyes a deserter and a traitor.
“I see that you are some what displeased by my position,” said Delphi with a slight suggestion of the point of it was not my fault. Palmatus had heard it all before. He had never come across a deserter, where it was not their fault.
“I came here to discuss a peace treaty with the Stal. Not to have us greeted by a traitor to the Emperor.” As Palmatus said these words, he found himself reaching for his bolt gun. This weapon is every star commando’s pistol. The bolt gun, fires self-propelled armour-piercing mass-reactive explosive missiles called bolts. These detonate a split second after penetrating a target. Causing the target to blow apart from the inside out. Delphi could plainly see what Palmatus was trying to do, so he just smiled.
“Palmatus. We should not fight under a flag of peace. Now, please come with me and we will resolve this.” Delphi ushered Palmatus to follow him, and as Delphi’s back was turned, two bolts entered his spinal cord and exploded on impact, blowing all of the vital organs on to the white marble floor. Delphi hit the ground with his knees, then fell face flat expressionless as the life faded away from him. Palmatus then turned and headed back towards the ramp accompanied by Taelos. As he looked back at the fading sunlight Palmatus said.
“War, Shall come swiftly to this godforsaken world.” And as the shuttle departed a sullen silence fell over the Stal world.
