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Whiskeyjack shrugged once more ’If six thousand Malazan soldiers are sufficient to take Coral and destroy the Pannion Domin, then we have seriously overestimated our eneht, and whatever advantage we can achieve beforehand, ill likely need’

’Coe Cadres, as well as these unnatural condors How does Dujek hope to defend against them? Your army has no sorcerers to speak of’

’Quick Ben’s there, and he’s found a means to access his warrens without interference Secondly, they have the Black Moranth to challenge for control of the skies, and a respectable supply of h’

’You htered, Commander’

’It’s possible, Warlord Thus, if it is agreeable to you, we should now make all haste to Coral’

’Indeed,’ Kallor snarled ’Perhaps we’d be better off to leave the Pannions to exhaust the Dujek and his six thousand, and then we arrive Warlord, hear me The Malazans have fashioned their own potentially fatal situation, and now co that we relieve them of the cost I say, let the bastards rot’

Korlat sensed that Kallor’s judgeh to Brood She saw the warlord hesitate ’A rather petty response,’ she sniffed ’Stained by emotion Therefore, probably tactically suicidal on all our parts’

Kallor wheeled ’ You, woman, cannot pretend to objectivity! Of course you’d side with your lover!’

’If his position was untenable, I most certainly would not, Kallor And there lies the difference between you and me’ She faced Caladan Brood ’I now speak for the Tiste Andii accoe you to hasten ourDujek Coes to effect a swift crossing to the south shore Five days of quickht days at a nor that we arrive well rested Is Onearm’s Host so overrated that they cannot hold out an extra three days?’

’Trying a new tack?’ Orfantal asked Kallor

The grey warrior shrugged

Brood’s breath hissed between his teeth ’He now speaks with reasoned consideration, Tiste Andii Five days, or eight Exhausted, or rested and thus capable of engaging the enemy at once Which of the two is more tactically sound?’

’It coulda sound, efficacious force and finding naught but chopped up corpses,’ Whiskeyjack said He shook himself ’Decide what you will, then We will leave you the barges, of course, but my forces will cross first -- we’ll risk the exhaustion’ He swung about and gestured towards Artanthos who had ree The standard-bearer nodded, reached down and collected a half-dozen signal flags, then set off towards the stern