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A trigger in the Metatic ocean went off.

Majus was fast, but it was [i]not[/i] quiet. Coming hazardously close to breaking the sound barrier on its way to the lower Ironhearts, it left a long tail of noise that carried far over the ocean surface, marking its passage with a contrail. A distant and forgotten stem of the Filter Cities shuddered near an atoll, a spit of sand that had once been a mountain, and Heartworm was alerted.

Its observation of Cornerstone, it thought, was fair enough exchange for the droningbird tailing Tauga.

Majus kept a straight course and Heartworm didn't have the equipment required to follow it quietly. It cut portals into certain locations on its projected route instead and listened for disturbance, setting Tauga on high alert. The hain made contact.

[color=antiquewhite][i]What is it?[/i][/color]

[i][color=f6989d]Another mind. Automaton. Sighted in Xerxes. May be hostile.[/color][/i] The memories flickered into Tauga's brain.

[color=antiquewhite][i]...If you poke that thing.[/i][/color]

[color=f6989d][i]...[/i][/color]

[color=antiquewhite][i]Whatever. Do your shit.[/i][/color]

Heartworm made no reply and the connection thinned, was taken over by Tauga conversing with Sasha in the blood tunnels before it fizzled out. Majus continued its flight. The Emaciator watched.

[color=f6989d][i]One of two. Where is the counterpart?[/i][/color]

Majus had appeared elsewhere, from time to time, in order to stand guard, or perhaps deliver information. Heartworm had never gotten close enough to find out. But the little one, the special operator, had proven elusive. As far as Heartworm could tell, it was never stationed at Cornerstone, nor had it engaged with the Realta to any serious extent. All that remained were a few aged traces of Tounic energy in the Citadel Dundee, and those told of nothing but stealth and subterfuge.

[color=f6989d][i]...Familiar.[/i][/color]

Curiousity and fear. Together they make concern.

Majus veered off course as it found its target; Heartworm kicked into the appropriate warp and focused its long-range senses. It recognised its own handiwork. It was what rode on the gryphon's back that astonished it.

Majus shot past the trio airborne, nearly clipping a wing. A momentary spike of stimulants hit Heartworm's vehicle as it watched the moment pass.

This was well beyond its league.

The four disappeared into a settlement of heretics.

Heartworm instructed a handful of Bludgeons to re-enter and again alerted Tauga. Tauga instructed it to 'figure out if you're ready for a fight or not or just stay the fuck away, you dumb fucking worm'. Heartworm interpreted this as a call to non-interference. It waited several minutes.

There were collisions. Majus returned, carrying the limp body of its former ally, and shot into the sky. Heartworm considered contacting Toun for custody. It did not. Instead it waited. Hours passed.

It folded its limbs into its pod and hovered into the cavern. Ping. Ping.

No Majus.

No Minus.

Sleeping figures.

...Residue.

Quiet as the grave, without a single light blinking from behind its visor, Heartworm settled in a niche and kept watch. [i]Three[/i] figures. Dwarf, gryphon, anomaly. Heartworm superimposed the anomaly's proportions onto the shell of dead porcelain, and made a hypothesis.

Dawn came.

The figures left.

It tasted the residue. Dwarf blood. Gryphon blood, too, but far less interesting. These genes corresponded to the diagrams in Lazarus's laboratory. The dwarf was a Legate. 

It tasted the residue.

Ink.

...

[color=f6989d][i]They are headed to the Valley of Peace. Heartworm will-[/i][/color]

Another telepathic alert, but not from Tauga.

...

[color=f6989d][i]Drones?[/i][/color]

[hider=Drones?]
I got inspired by the wrapping up of the Mira saga and BBeast's ability to come up with a responsive post like an hour after the post it was responding to and when I woke up I had this on my hands.

Heartworm spots Majus dogfighting Inga and the rest, and once Majus departs, it decides to watch the trio. Before it can attempt contact, the appearance of Teknall's drones force it to address its own affairs.
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