The next few days passed in a blur of conferences, pack organization, and egg examination. Bit by bit Sybil was disseminating the information that we would be relocating as soon as the currently laid clutch hatched. Fortunately for us, keelish eggs have a tendency to somehow regulate their hatching dates to all occur at about the same time, so we were preparing ourselves for one hatching, which should be in about a week, then one week of waiting for the spawnlings to grow sufficiently to begin the trek.

I couldn't fathom how Sybil did it, how she could manipulate the general opinion so subtly just like she had on the day of our march, but it was a skill I was grateful was currently working for me. Somehow, she had developed an extensive division of what could only be called propaganda spreaders that could pretty solidly sway the feelings of the uninvolved to be to my greatest benefit. Due to her influence, after just three days the rest of the swarm was excited to "expand our influence" to the east.

Finally, after the three days were up, all of my closest companions were available to visit with Second and see what he had shown me those… was it only weeks? ago. Now that I was a khatif, it was obvious to compare the physique of the three species, keelish, khatif, and Keel, and how perfectly the physiology of the khatif bridged the gap between the two. There were, like among all of us, differences in peculiarities of physique from one khatif to the next Keel, but it was obvious that the differences were being bridged.

Remarkably, I resembled the Zaaktif, at least in passing. His scales were more a metallic silver than my dun gray and the frills about his head flared much more grandly than mine, but who was to say that my eventual evolution to Keel wouldn't lead me in that direction. I hadn't thought too deeply about it until Took kept looking from the lightshow depicting the Zaaktif's death to me and back again. I heard Sybil muttering to herself about how she could slowly work towards telling the swarm that I was a descendant of our greatest ancestors and that my rule was written in the stars, and internally chuckled.

Just like the last time, I was a little disappointed to see the end of the presentation, but my heart also raced uncontrollably in my chest, excited at the future prospects before me. Second looked at the khatif surrounding him and spoke up, "Our hopes for the future rest on your shoulders." Then he looked specifically at Vefir, "If you need help in your assistance of and care towards the wounded, I am more than willing to offer my services." Vefir nodded, a grin beginning to cross his face.

As the rest of the khatifs filed out of the room, Second pulled me aside. "I agree with Rulac–you are the closest to a Keel that we've ever seen. You deserve to be our Zaaktif."

I nodded, "Thank you."

"Since you are who the Alqat have decided is worthy of protecting, it wouldn't do for you to call me by this title. Just call me Alaster."

I cocked my head. "Your name… it's different from any of the rest of the swarm. It feels… different, I suppose."

Second, no, Alaster, responded with a slight grin, "Your name as well. And nobody gave you that name, it was one you chose. Mine is similar–it is a name I heard from the histories and I liked, so I adopted it as my own."

I nodded again, a grin mirroring Alaster's, "Well, I suppose that is correct. It's a good name." Then, I got more serious, "So, what do you intend to do? And what have you been doing as Second of the Alqat until now?"

Alaster shrugged, "Well, I am a healer primarily and a logistician secondarily. In case you haven't realized, Rulac doesn't pay enough consistent attention to even begin to cover logistics, even of a generally autonomous and small group like the Alqat. Wisterl, as the Third, should be in charge of logistics and she is more than intelligent enough for them, but she… has other focuses." I saw the look in his eyes and knew what he was talking about. "Thus, it falls to me to ensure that the Alqat are correctly following the commands that Rulac gives, and in the spirit that he gives them."

"So you've been immensely busy is what I'm hearing."

A rueful smile, "You could say that, Alpha."

Then, a thought crossed my mind, "I know that her specialties lie more in manipulation than in collaboration, but Sybil may be able to help you cut down on external stresses."

Alaster nodded, "She is a remarkable governor. What she lacks in natural leadership she makes up for in a conniving and absolute understanding of how to influence public perception. With her at your back, the annexation of any swarms we come across will be greatly streamlined."

"Annexation?"

Alaster looked at me quizzically. "Surely you intend to rally the keelish together to become perceived as a people, and not simply try attain personhood among us several hundred?"

After a moment's thought, I responded, "Well, since you have said it, that makes much more sense than whatever I hadn't yet thought of. Since that's the case, then all the better that she's on our side."

Alaster nodded gravely. "Stay on her good side. Sybil would pose a greater threat to your continued governance than any other if she were to choose to be."

"I'm well aware of that," I chuckled, "but I intend to stay on her good side regardless of if it is beneficial to my continued rule."

Alaster nodded, and I excused myself. A part of me almost expected to see someone eavesdropping, but the tunnel was completely empty, so empty in fact that I could hear the excited musings and planning from the khatif in front of me talking about how we were sure to become Keel before too long and reestablish the continent-stretching empire of old.

I grinned wolfishly: They were right. It was only a matter of time before I, no, WE established an empire, and I used that empire to find and crush Viilor.