Chrysalis

Coolant looked out from her perch next to the upper sally port of the great gate and felt nothing but confusion.

"Do you want to go tell him, or should I?" she said to Sloan who was clinging to the wall next to her.

The general shook her head, bewildered.

"I mean. They have to know, right? There's no chance that they don't know."

"I assume they know. I mean, what are the odds the two forces aren't communicating to this extent?"

"Almost none, surely. Such a lack of organisation in our foes would throw our plans way out."

"Hasn't this thrown them way out anyway?"

Sloan hesitated.

"That's… true."

The two of them looked out in silence for a few more moments at the totally unexpected scene before them.

"What do you think we should do?" Coolant asked, her scent as calm and unruffled as it always was.

"I don't know!" Sloan fretted. Why would these idiots perform this sort of moronic action now of all times? It didn't make any sense!

communication washed out over them, rippling through the

one,

figure reclined in a chair next to him, watching

could they

the Eldest isn't here. There is almost a zero percent chance that they don't know

opinion, if one of the golgari wanted to kill another golgari for some reason, why not let them do it? One less for them to fight when they made a

involved, there might be some element at play that we don't understand,"

down trouble like a Queen taking in Biomass. The end result was something

you want me to reach out to them?" Coolant offered. "I'll need to move a

"I'll arrange an escort."

and had a thousand ants ready to escort the mage closer

you think a thousand may send the

"What do you mean?"

a total of.." she counted quickly, "eight golgari over there. If

a thousand is too many?" Sloan rubbed the top of her head with an antennae. A thousand didn't feel like many to

at a moment's notice. Sloan had considered things carefully and the delegation contained a healthy mix of mages, for raising shields, scouts, for detecting foul play, and soldiers, to hold the line in the event the others needed to retreat. Once they had covered half the ground toward the first gate, they very obviously stopped and parked themselves for a moment. Acting with great caution, Coolant wove together a mind bridge and extended it toward the trio of mages in

you on behalf of the Colony,] she started off formally, [I have come to clarify

for a long moment before a reply

you to bring them here so that they may duel the High Blade Balta. He wishes to expunge the shame the creature has cast

this. This guy came all the way out here chasing the Eldest? For what? Some imagined insult?