Empire of Silence

Soldiers arrive to take everyone to safety. Knight-Tribune Raine Smythe, the highest-ranking Legion commander in the system, has taken control of Emesh because of the military situation. Other soldiers are headed to the crashed Cielcin vessel. Hadrian demands to go with them, saying that he speaks the Cielcin language and might be able to negotiate a surrender. No Cielcin has ever surrendered before, but he wants to change that.

Hadrian joins the group of Imperial and Jaddian soldiers, led by Lt. Bassander Lin and Sir Olorin. Hadrian explains his plan. Bassander and Olorin are skeptical. Hadrian insists that “wars are fought with soldiers, but they’re won with words” and that they must “start talking to [the Cielcin] someday” (596). Olorin agrees, and Bassander relents.

A search reveals that the Cielcin are hiding in the ruins. Splitting into two groups, the soldiers search the tunnels. Hadrian stays with the Jaddians. He meets Olorin’s second-in-command, a human woman named Jinan Azhar. In an aside, the narrator-Hadrian calls her his captain, saying, “It is strange to think that those dear to us were at one time strangers” (597).

In darkness, they search and find four Cielcin. Hadrian tells the Jaddians to turn on their lights, briefly blinding the Cielcin, who are accustomed to darkness. Hadrian is stunned by the sight of the Cielcin; they are all eight feet tall or more, with pale skin, skull-like faces, “eyes like rotted sockets, [and] teeth like a bank of glass knives” (601).

A fight ensues. Several Jaddians die, but the Cielcin are subdued. Hadrian questions one Cielcin, but when it refuses to speak, Hadrian tortures it with several shots from a stunner gun. Then the Cielcin admits that there are 11 Cielcin in total; the others are hiding in another chamber. When Hadrian asks why they came to the ruins, the Cielcin shouts that it is a holy place not meant for humans. Then the Cielcin loses consciousness.

The Jaddians reconnect with Bassander’s group, and Hadrian leads them to the second chamber. As they enter, Hadrian calls out in the Cielcin language, demanding the Cielcins’ surrender. He promises that the survivors will not be harmed, adding, “We inherited [this war] from our parents, same as you. Surrender and we can make an end of it” (611). One Cielcin agrees to speak with Hadrian.

The injured Cielcin’s name is Uvanari; it is the “ichakta” (captain) of the group. Hadrian admits that he does not have the authority to guarantee the Cielcins’ safety, but he promises to do what he can to ensure they are not harmed. Uvanari says that this is a good place to die, but Hadrian insists that there is no need to die today.

Uvanari collapses from its wounds. Hadrian catches it, and another Cielcin rushes forward. Hadrian notes that this one is younger and is not dressed like a soldier. Uvanari calls it Tanaran and orders it to stay back, then surrenders.

In Borosevo, Hadrian sits in a meeting with the council, along with Balian, the Knight-Tribute Smythe, Olorin and Lady Kalima, Bassander, and Ligeia. Ligeia wants to interrogate the Cielcin prisoners, using the torture techniques for which the Chantry are famous. Lady Kalima and Olorin believe the prisoners should be treated with respect as hostages that are valuable in diplomatic negotiations. Smythe and Bassander side with Ligeia, saying that the prisoners’ potential information is more useful than their diplomatic value.

Hadrian says that if the Cielcin were human prisoners, the government would already be negotiating their return to their leaders. He asks to speak with Uvanari, claiming that he can build a rapport. He wants to avoid further death and torture. He also wants to show his usefulness as a translator to the Legion, hoping that they will recruit him away from Balian. The group decides that only Uvanari will be interrogated. In a clear effort to punish Hadrian, Ligeia demands that he be their translator. He refuses but is overruled.

Hadrian attends the Uvanari’s interrogation, which is conducted by Inquisitor Agari and guarded by several Chantry cathars. The cathars strap Uvanari down, connect electrical devices to his body, and reveal surgical instruments. Uvanari shouts that Hadrian promised them safety. Hadrian apologizes. Agari asks why the Cielcin came to Emesh, where the rest of their fleet is, when the next attack will be, and who their leader is. Uvanari responds to each question with its name and rank. The cathars torture Uvanari.

After they electrocute Uvanari, it answers. Uvanari explains that the Cielcin came to pray at the ruins. This shocks Hadrian, who surmises that they worship the Quiet, though he does not tell Agari this. The Cielcin did not know the planet was inhabited by humans. No other Cielcin ships are coming. Uvanari does not know where the fleet is because the ships remain in motion. Hadrian says they need more information or the Chantry will hurt it again. Uvanari says that “humans are all the same” (637).

The Chantry question the other Cielcin more gently, with Hadrian as translator. The humans eventually believe Uvanari’s claims that the aliens’ arrival was an isolated incident, not an attack. The Legion investigation of the crashed ship corroborates this; the ship did not even have weapons.

During this time, Hadrian barely speaks, forgets to eat or bathe, and drinks heavily. Valka visits him, and although he wants to tell her what he has learned, he refrains, fearing surveillance. A moment later, the power turns off, including the cameras. Valka reveals that she has a machine implant that allows her to short out the power. She is responsible for a series of recent brownouts that were blamed on mechanical failure. Hadrian tells her about the Cielcin praying to the Quiet. He thinks they came looking for something and speculates that they might have found something in the ruins on other planets.

Then Olorin arrives. He warns Hadrian that the council has decided that the interrogation has been ineffective. They plan to send Hadrian to speak to Uvanari alone. Hadrian is furious, but Olorin reminds him that Hadrian wanted to speak to Uvanari in the first place.

Hadrian visits Uvanari alone. Uvanari asks why Hadrian is always present, and he explains that he is the only one who speaks the language. Uvanari concludes that this makes Hadrian a “slave.” The Cielcin argues that anyone who works for another is not free. It states that the Cielcin are also enslaved. It agreed with Hadrian that this war is an inheritance they do not want, but now it knows that surrender was a mistake.

Uvanari shares that its aeta (leader) is called Aranata. To Hadrian’s surprise, Aranata is referred to as “him,” though all other Cielcin are gender-neutral. Uvanari adds that Tanaran, the younger Cielcin, is a baetan (root), which Hadrian gathers to be some kind of heir to the aeta. Uvanari asks Hadrian to kill it as a formal mercy-killing. Horrified, Hadrian leaves.

Hadrian fears that nothing can stop the war because every “atrocity [is] met with atrocity” (663) in an endless circle. He asks to speak with Valka in private. She again turns off the cameras. He explains that Uvanari has asked to die, and Hadrian believes he owes it that mercy. He asks her to help him, and she agrees.

Later, Hadrian is permitted to speak to the other Cielcin prisoners. Speaking in Cielcin, with guards watching nearby, he explains that Uvanari told him about Aranata and about Tanaran’s rank as a baetan. He asks if Tanaran is Aranata’s child or consort. Tanaran recoils from this suggestion and says that it “carr[ies] a piece of him. His authority” (672). The lights go out again. With the surveillance cameras off, Hadrian speaks more freely, explaining that Uvanari has been tortured and that he has agreed to kill it. Tanaran agrees that because Hadrian caused Uvanari’s disgrace, it is fitting that he be the one to end it. Hadrian asks the Cielcin to do something the next time the lights go out. The lights come back on. The guards ask Hadrian if he learned anything useful. Knowing that he must give them some information, he explains that Tanaran is something like a nobile.

Hadrian attends another interrogation of Uvanari. The cathars reveal a new torture device that throws molten lead. They remove Uvanari from its leather restraints, leaving only the electrical devices on to keep the alien still. Uvanari screams, and Hadrian shouts objections. He tries to keep them talking while he waits for Valka’s sign. Finally, the lights go out and alarms blare. In their cell, the other Cielcin riot. Agari leaves to deal with them, allowing Hadrian to stay in the room with a single cathar. He had not counted on that and is unsure how to proceed. His plan was to kill Uvanari with no witnesses.

Again, Uvanari says that humans are always the same. This time, the phrase catches Hadrian’s attention, and he realizes that Uvanari has met humans before. Then Hadrian remembers that Uvanari’s restraints are gone. Uvanari realizes it as well, and charges. It kills the cathar and turns on Hadrian. Hadrian is gravely wounded in the struggle but gains the upper hand and holds Uvanari down with a knife. He demands to know where it has met humans before. It says that it met Extrasolarians on a planet called Vorgossos. The lights come back on. Keeping his promise, Hadrian kills Uvanari.

The council discuss what Hadrian learned. He claims that Uvanari escaped during the power outage and nearly killed him, but he managed to defend himself and got the name Vorgossos in Uvanari’s dying moments. Ligeia says that Vorgossos is a myth, but Lady Halima suggests that it may be real, just lost like Earth.

Smythe suggests they use what they have learned about Tanaran’s importance to negotiate with the leader, Aranata. However, they do not know where to find the fleet. Hadrian suggests looking for Vorgossos. It is possible that Extrasolarians have a trade agreement or other relationship with the Cielcin and will know where to find the fleet. The problem is that the Extrasolarians will run at the first sign of a legion ship.

Hadrian suggests sending a small group disguised as mercenaries. He offers to lead this group, believing this to be his best opportunity to escape Balian. Balian objects, but Olorin supports Hadrian, and Smythe conscripts Hadrian into her service. After the meeting, Smythe corners Hadrian alone. She knows that he was responsible for the power outage, though she does not know how. She acknowledges that what he accomplished with Uvanari was reckless but rare. She also adds that Bassander will be in command of the mission, but that Hadrian can choose his team members.

Hadrian prepares for departure. Olorin approaches and bows to Hadrian as an equal, then gives him a high-matter sword of such quality that the emperor himself would be impressed. Olorin says that he will go home to his prince and tell him about the man of quality he met; among the Jaddians, Hadrian will have friends. He adds that Jaddians believe men are of two kinds: swordsmen or poets. Swordsmen have run the war, but he believes that a man like Hadrian may be what they need.

Hadrian boards the shuttle and is greeted by a mix of imperial and Jaddian soldiers. Among them is Olorin’s lieutenant, Jinan Azhar. Valka has also agreed to come. Behind her, Hadrian sees the “motley crew” (704) he requested: the myrmidons Ghen, Siran, Pallino, and Switch. Bassander orders Hadrian to sit. Hadrian knows he will have to deal with Bassander eventually. He sits beside Valka and smiles, reflecting on how much his life has changed since he left Meidua. He is happy to escape Emesh, though he knows that a part of him will remain there “with Cat at the bottom of a waterway and on the killing floor of the Colosso” (705). He concludes his story for the moment, directly inviting the reader to continue or leave as they see fit.