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Whateverremained true: Fidelias did feel like a newbefore the scales of his life were finally balanced

Soon, he told himself

Soon

Isana sat at the silently ento the vord Queen co up at the green-lighted ceiling, her eyes seeht of sunset added the barest hint of yellow to the croach that grew near the entrance to the hive

"The defenses at the final position are quite cohesive," the Queen said abruptly "They are very nearly as formidable as those in Shuar, and the counter-strikes far more effective"

Isana frowned, and asked, "Shuar?"

"The hive of a subspecies of the Canim A particularly tenacious strain of the breed Their fortifications had withstood siege for more than a year when I left Canea"

"Perhaps they withstand it still"

The vord Queen looked down at Isana, and said, "Unlikely, Grandmother The presence of Shuaran Caniest that they are refugees, cooperating because they have no other choice" She turned her face back up to the ceiling "Though it is far too late, at this point A unified resistance o, but you were all quite busy exhibiting theweakness of individuality: self-interest"

"You see self-identity as a weakness?" Isana asked

"Obviously"

"Then one cannot help but wonder why you have one"

The Queen looked at Isana The vord's alien eyes were narrowed She was silent for a long moment before she looked back up, and answered, "I aht flowed down over her upturned face for a tih your son's intestinal tract yesterday evening"

Isana felt her breath stop

"He seemed well on the way to death when I left him"

Her heart pounded very hard, and she licked her lips "And yet, you do not say that he is dead"

"No"

"Why did you not kill him, then?" Isana asked

"The risk-benefit ratio was far too high"

"In other words," Isana said, "he ran you off"

"He and approxier by finger, black nails sliding out like claws, then retracting "It doesn't matter By the tione, the Alerans there scattered to the winds They fight upon the walls as if anchored to thee?"