Chapter Twenty-Four: The Last Hold (Part I)

Notes from the Tome: "Astropathic Choirs and Mankind's Mastery of Instein-Relativism"

The development of the Imperial Astropathic network was one of the most important and substantial tasks of the early Imperium and required hundreds of thousands of psykers to be soul-bonded in massive rituals within the City of Sight. This act created a system of telepathic communication that could reliably connect the distant worlds of the Imperium. Allowing effective faster than light communication to bridge the stars. Yet the development of this network of choirs and relays served more purposes than simple communication. It allowed for a feat of relativistic linkage unseen even during the Age of Silicon Technology.

Faster than light communication was possible through a myriad of practices, ranging from consecrated to heretical with numerous methods available to the Imperium and used across its broad domains such as Entangled Data-Cores, Noosphere bonds, Grav-dar, and of course the Astropathic system. With all of the options available to it, the Imperium primarily used the resource-intense system of astropaths. That requires a near-constant supply of psykers to High Terra for soul-bonding and training. The reason for engaging in this costly system is the Astropathic System's ability to effect Instien-Relativism.

Instien-Relativism is the ancient Terran astrophysics term for how gravity and energy/matter effect time. The closer one gets to light speed, the slower time moves and how this relates to gravity and space/time. This means that time flows at different rates across the galaxy. One Terran year passing in the Sol System might be minutes or decades in other star systems.

Even at the height of the Age of Silicon, the problems related to this phenomenon were never fully addressed. Entire sectors and human civilizations existed in radically different flows of time, increasing the already fractured nature of humanity across the galaxy. The Silicon Age Federation of Mankind was never truly successful in fully synchronizing their perception of time. They chose to rely on Abominable Intelligences capable of thinking and calculating at such rates that the differences could be minimized. When the Age of Strife ignited the death throes of the Federation, the progress made to the end of unifying 'human time' was obliterated and the extensive uses of Chrono and Datavore weapons during the Iron War only made the problem worse.

This left the Emperor of Mankind (Augustus Imperator, hallowed be his Light) with a unique problem. He needed mankind to be unified under his Aegis and form the Imperium of Man. Yet such a centralized and monolithic entity could not exist with different timescales across itself. Having an Empire fractured in such a way left it open to countless threats. The Imperium needed to operate at the same time scale or extremely close. This is where the Astropath systems come in. Astropaths perform Faster than Light communication not by exploiting some fundamental aspect of reality but circumventing it entirely. Using the impossibility of the Warp to communicate across vast distances. This long-range telepathy has a curious effect on space/time. When the connection is made from one astropath to another the flow of time between the two synchronizes.

This allows Astropaths to force entire star-systems thousands of light-years apart to experience time the same. This property is what makes the Astropathic system so incredibly important. A chain of Astropaths starting on High Terra and ending in the far reaches of the galaxy will experience time at nearly identical rates. The only delays are caused by Warp phenomena and the time it takes for one Astropath to dictate a message to another, letting the Imperium calculate time-based on Terran Standard and accounting for the minor shifts in Astropath connections.

When the Imperium adds a new system into itself, that system joins the rest of the Imperium in chronological consistency. During the Great Crusade, the great fleets of the Primarchs left chains of time-corrected systems in their wake, applying Imperial Law and reality to the galaxy itself. Systems that had been centuries to even thousands of years out of line with Imperial Standard time found themselves bound to mankind once again by shared chronology. The Imperium of Man is the greatest achievement of our species. This is but one example of the Emperor's (Augustus Imperator, hallowed be his light) genius, the bountiful resources of the galaxy and the hard work of billions across the stars. Working together to bind even time to our collective will.

Sample texts from: "Homo sapiens rotundus: Imperial Primer on the Coreworld Peoples"

During the Ages of Expansion, when mankind spread throughout the galaxy, the peoples who settled in the mineral-rich worlds of the Galactic Core became renowned for their hardiness and sheer persistence. They survived in the unforgiving environment of the Coreworlds despite the natural and unnatural dangers involved. They dug great subterranean strongholds into the high-gravity rock of their newfound Homeworlds, facing incredible risks from the unstable rock and pressure of these planets. They dug deep into mineral riches that helped forge the ancient human civilizations of the Galaxy.

The Coreworlds are extremely hazardous and even the most simple of mining operations could have upwards of fifty percent mortality. This is not even counting the dangers of the Orkish hordes that periodically raid the Coreworlds or the nearby threat of the Maelstrom. Extensive use of cloning and accelerated gestation was required to keep the strongholds populated, with the genome of the most successful and skilled Coreworlders being used to create the next generation. Genetic tweaking, though frowned upon, was not unheard of across the Strongholds. This process assisted the Coreworlders in growing denser bones and stronger muscles to help in the high gravity. Additionally, the intricate system of mines and caverns used by these settlers required exceptional memory and spatial awareness. Their ability to accurately estimate direction and purpose of frequently damaged tunnels being the only thing saving them from horrible deaths.

These factors lead to extraordinary evolutionary and cultural pressure to produce durable, hardworking, methodical and borderline obsessive humans of short stature. This combined with the extreme chrono-dilation found close to the Galactic Core led to the development of an abhuman sub-race of mankind. The heavy worlds of the Galactic Core experienced time at a vastly accelerated rate compared to most of the galaxy and the strongholds within them experiencing decades to even centuries for every Terran year.

Even with these drastic chrono-dialations, the Core-Worlds kept in close contact with the rest of Mankind. With a steady stream of new migrants, technologies, and culture flowing in and out of the Core-Worlds. The chrono-dilations still had major noticeable effects. With every new trade-ship encountering an entirely new generation and in some cases cultural period of Core-Worlders when it docked. Doing business and operating with the outside galaxy was hampered by this, with Terran Ships arriving at a Stronghold after a few years of travel, demanding a mining contract fulfilled. When the stronghold in question had been plunged into civil-war lasting decades and the company the contract was signed with had been destroyed years earlier.

The consequences of incidents like these forged an honor-bound and communal culture into the Core-Worlders. Who had gained the semi-affectionate nickname as the "Squats" for their increasingly shorter stature when compared to most Human strains. The responsibilities and wealth of individuals were bound to their extended families in great Clans. With monolithic Guilds replacing the unstable network of corporations, workers-communions, and mining-colonies. With oaths, contracts and the general business of these organizations viewed as matters of generations of workers, instead of temporary members. The stubborn obsessiveness bred into the Squats by the difficulties of Heavy-World life combined with this idea of generational responsibility to produce cultural values of extreme-diligence and work. With entire linages working on a project or venture. Doing everything they could to ensure the quality of it, and ensuring their descendants were capable of continuing the work.

These factors led the galaxy to value the industries of the Core-Worlds as much or if not more than its mineral wealth. With the products of a century of a Squat Clan being of equal quality to those produced by Abominable Intelligences. Along with the heart and soul of its creators being poured into the creation in ways a thinking machine could never replicate. A combination of genetic engineering and the success of clans with large quantities of Old-Masters started to increase the Squat lifespan past standard humans, with Squats being capable of living multiple centuries without the use of rejuveanut treatments.

When the Iron Wars of Dread Silicon and the Fall of the Aeldari happened, the Core Worlds suffered like the rest of mankind. Countless strongholds were lost to insane thinking machines and the growth of the Maelstrom. The chrono-dilation had the unexpected side effect of limiting the disastrous effects of the Abominable Intelligences collapse. With the relatively insular and increasingly tradition-bound Squats shirking many of the more powerful Silicon-monsters that entranced the rest of Mankind. Putting more faith in (ab)human grit and spirit than shoddy machines.

The psychic awakening of mankind was not unfelt among the Squats as well. With some of the Strongholds close to the Maelstrom falling to the call of Chaos. Others were cursed with mutation and were exiled from their Strongholds. These Brotherhoods of Exiles were given fleets of mining vessels and countless tokens from their Clans. Fearing the spread of the mutations these exiles left the Core-Worlds and sought to make new worlds for themselves to live upon. Within the majority of the Squat-Holds, the development of psychic powers occurred differently. Instead of a semi-random eruption of people with higher emotional activity becoming Warp-Touched. A handful of the oldest Crafts Folk and Clan Elders suddenly found themselves awash with psychic energy.

These elders were some of the most strong-willed and capable of the Squat subspecies. Who found themselves able to master these powers relatively easily when compared to most humans. At the price of being on average less powerful and in some ways effective with these newfound Psychic abilities. As the Age of Strife bore on, more of these elders started to gain psychic powers. A handful across the strongholds every year. The existing psychic-elders also seemed to stop-aging, and steadily increase in psychic power as the decades wore on. While still capable of death by injury or calamity as one would expect from withered ancients, their minds and skills were further sharpened by age. Ancestor Worship had grown into the semi-official faith among the Core-Worlds and the advent of these "Living Ancestors" as they became known only solidified the status of this religion. With many Living Ancestors claiming they could feel the power and protection of generations of Squats infused in whatever their people built.

For the Solar System, the Age of Strife was five thousand years of darkness and horror. For the Squats it was something more like twenty or thirty thousand. With the densely packed stars of the Core-Worlds and the generation-ships of the Squats allowing the strongholds to keep together and even lend aid during this time. Yet anything from outside the ring of Squat systems around the Galactic Core was almost completely unknown. What information did get through was tale after tale of strife and horror. The few expeditions that returned told of entire worlds burning in madness. Storm Ghosts (Squat term for Warp predators) haunting entire star systems and clashing at the mouths of a thousand miniature Maelstroms. Worse still were accounts of Xeno Horribilis on the move, with Orkish hordes in specific rampaging through the stars in horrific numbers. The crone-worlds of the Aeldari wiped from existence and no contact from the Craftworlds the Squats had regular communication with.

For those long millennia of the Old Night, the strongholds persisted. They reforged themselves into coalitions called Leagues. Severed from Terra, and with Sol a distant myth, the Squats viewed the Core Worlds as their homeworlds. A harsh realm of black holes, dying stars and wealth beyond measure that they would hold for all time. Such was the split from the rest of the Galaxy that the Coreworlders started to refer to themselves as the Khazakhun, instead of Humans. A term in the local dialects meaning 'Deep Survivors'. At first, the Squat Leagues experienced something of a renaissance. With new technology developed to replace what was lost during the Iron War and new Strongholds founded across the Homeworlds, each League grew into close-knit pseudo-nations. They were bound by pacts of trade and defense but still very independent. Of course, not everything was peaceful during this age of isolation. Squabbles over mining rights, matters of honor and other such matters lead to great feuds forming between the Leagues.

War between Leagues never broke out aside from a few small skirmishes. To turn blade or bolt upon kinsfolk was considered the gravest crime by the Ancestors. However, honor was still held above all, with deep resentment brewing between leagues and factions. With the bitterness of these slights poisoning the hearts and minds of the Squats. Culturally and genetically, the Stronghold's peoples were trained to be obsessive and blunt. With the idea of unsettled grudges gnawing away at the psyche of Squats. A cultural innovation of the Grudgekeepers was born to deal with this problem. The dishonored and criminal were used as living tomes of bitter memories. Living Ancestors could transfer the pain and stress into the Grudgekeepers, who became a living embodiment of the rage and grief of the Squat People. Each Stronghold holds at least one Grudgekeeper, with some larger ones having thousands. All those who failed their holds and clans. Bearing the sins and suffering of others as penance.

This development could not have come at a better time. With the Strongholds, and their larger planet-sprawling brethren of holds soon facing the greatest threat yet. An Orkish Warboss of particular cunning brutality had set its sight upon the Squat Homeworlds. Grunhag the Flaya as he called himself followed the Orkish "philosophy" (if such a word can ever be applied to the Greenskins) of "Tota WAAAGH!" While all Orks exist solely for the goal of fighting and winning. The definition of such concepts varies across the Orkish hordes. Grunhag believed the only true victory was to utterly and horrifically destroy his foes. While true sadism is rare among the Greenskins, their origin as a living weapon and their distorted view making their understanding of the cosmos radically different from noble human thought. Grunhag is one of the exceptions to this rule, being a truly cruel and malicious being who derived great pleasure from ruination and petty malice.

The Warboss' brutality and atypical thoroughness in making war allowed him to amass a colossal WAAAGH! Unlike his cousins at Ullanor or Gorro. Grunhag had little desire to build thuggish fiefdoms. Instead, he led billions of Orks in a migratory wave of death that was responsible for the complete destruction of multiple pockets of mankind and Xeno species. Stripping the planets taken from the Orks foes of anything of value or interest. Leaving barren husks populated with scant Orkish fungoides living in the ruins of civilizations butchered down to the last man, women, and child.

Growing bored of the scattered fragments of culture that proved little challenge for him, Grunhag turned his bestial intelligence towards the Squat homeworlds. The stalwart civilization residing in the Galactic core seemed a perfect challenge. Declaring the dread warcry of WAAAGH!!! Grunhag rallied the largest body of Orks found outside the Beast-Boss Empires. Looking to crack open the diamond-hard worlds of the Squats and loot the technological and mineral wealth within. Which admittedly was a secondary goal compared to fighting the infamously determined and mighty Squats. Breaking the "Puny Stunties" under the crushing fists of Gork and Mork.

When the Orkish war fleets first entered the Squat Homeworlds they were hailed by the mighty Generation-Ships of the Squats that patrolled their piece of the galaxy. Demanding an explanation for the Orkish fleet and their intent. To us, the idea of attempting to discuss anything with an Ork is utterly ridiculous. The closest the Greenskins have to diplomacy is how high up you are on their priorities to fight. Yet ancient records from the Age of Silicon indicate the Orks might not have always been as vicious as they are. Still warlike and brutal there are a surprising number of accounts with successful trade occurring. The Squats especially had a reputation for this. With stories of Orkish WAAAGH!!!s and Squat Mercenary Brotherhoods having bizarre working relationships as Soldiers of Fortune during the Age of Silicon. It seems most Orks found the brutal siege work needed to claim Squat Holds boring. With the Squats able to easily convince the Orks with a few token gifts and directions to a nearby enemy for them to fight. Not to attack the Strongholds. Still, the reason for this shift in the Orks to purely aggressive and near-feral barbarism is unknown.

In typical Orkish fashion, the Greenskins responded with a deafening storm of roars, curses, and threats. Prompting the Generation Ships confronted by the Orks to transmit warning across the Homeworlds of the impending invasion. The Generation Ships were brutally wiped from the Void by the Orks. The superior weapons and armor of the Squat design insufficient to deal with the Greentide. Thankfully the warning did not go unheeded. Across the Galactic Core thousands of Strongholds and systems prepared for battle. The mighty Generation Ships that ply the Core with short warp-jumps and gravitic skipping. Assembled to face the oncoming WAAAGH!!!