Two lizards entered the throne room of the mother ship and greeted Turraski, who was standing inside waiting for them.

"Turraski" Gyrod said coming to a stop. "I think I can get some useful information from the intellichines, but it will take some time."

"Can you open them up access their files for yourself?"

"I'm not willing to do that, but once they have determined there is no reasonable means of escape, they will open up and talk."

"That's not going to be of any help to us right now" Turraski grumbled.

"If we were to attempt to open them up and read them there's a good chance they will eliminate anything useful we could dig out of their systems. The only way to get information from them is to barter their freedom. One of the intellichines is apparently a seductress bot – I can smell a hodgepodge of different human pheromones from here – I suspect she works for the Royal Humanology Institute."

"That sounds useful, Gyrod, but that's not going to help us get any kind of immediate military advantage over the elves. Lord Krall's raid of Latildra may have not given us anything."

"I wouldn't say that" said a voice from over their head. The three lizards looked up to see the light-green-skinned Strigwire on the screen.

"What is it, Strig?" Turraski asked not sounding overly excited or glad to hear from him.

"I have a target of opportunity that you absolutely can't afford to miss."

"I'm listening" Turraski said still not sounding even a little enthusiastic.

"In the chaos of battle we were able to intercept some critical information, and from it we were able to learn the location of the R196 solar system. If we can destroy the orbital factories and refineries there we could cripple the Royal Armada. They won't even be ready for it." The three lizards looked at each other.

"Scout it for yourself if you don't believe me" Strigwire said with a grin. "We've got to make some kind of strike upon the Elven sector, and this is as good a way to do it as any. We can find and destroy everything there and be out before reinforcements arrive."

"I will take care of this system" Krall bellowed.

"You're going to send your diminished forces all the way into the elven sector?" Gyrod said. "You should let Strigwire's forces accompany you-"

"No!" Krall said cutting him off. "We will restore the dignity of our clan after a humiliating defeat we have faced."

"I admire your ferocity, Krall. But I think Gyrod might be right here" Turraski said.

"I think we should let Krall go by himself, Turraski" Strigwire interrupted. "We will keep our forces on the reptilia-outworld border and be ready to deal with any retaliatory strikes." Gyrod didn't argue further with him.

"Very well" Turraski said. "Lord Krall, I want you to replenish your fighter craft and repair your ships batteries and defenses before you go. If Strigwire is right that they don't know we'll come, then there is no reason to be in a hurry, here."

"Yes Turraski" Krall said in a way that made it sound like it wasn't easy to say. Strigwire's face disappeared from view and the screen went blank.

"I'm growing more wary of our Fire Flower friends" Gyrod remarked. "Strigwire apparently knew where we could find the intellichines and now he knows where one of the most important industrial systems is for the elven ships? I don't buy that this is a stroke of luck at all. I suspect he may have already found the talisman and is taking orders from it. "

"I understand your trepidation, Gyrod, but we are running out of options and time. We will proceed cautiously here, and if R196 is where Strigwire says it is, we will unleash white hot fury and send a strong message to the hominids" Turraski with a minor swell of anger.

"Gyrod" Turraski said, "start prepping your fleet."