ADVENT | History
The Battle of the Hiveship
"Costly though this was, it was a victory that may change the tide of this war. The loss of a Hiveship is a blow, but the loss of another Ethereal will be felt throughout the Collective."
- Commander Laura Christiaens
ADVENT Military After-Action Report 2216
Operation: Silver March
Author: Commander Laura Christiaens
Recipients: Chancellor Saudia Vyandar, Chief of Lancer Operations Helion Weekes, Chief Diplomat Firdaus Hassan, Director of ADVENT Intelligence Ian Powell, General Hank Avel, the Commander of XCOM
This was an operation which could have easily ended in failure. The initial proposal was highly dependent on a number of factors, and the capabilities of very few to lay the foundation for the assault of a Hiveship. Fortunately, XCOM and Caelior were up to the task, and brought the vessel down in the desert.
We knew that bringing it down was only the first step – the Collective would not surrender such a vessel without a fight, and, should they be allowed to fortify, they could turn it into a siege we would not have been able to win without significant losses. It was imperative that it be taken as soon as possible after being downed, lest they dig in and deny us our prize.
This operation took several hundred thousand soldiers – many of them from our specialized or elite units - from front lines all over the world, but the operation was successful beyond what we could have anticipated. The Hiveship is now firmly in our hands, the Hive Commander is dead, and we have, for the second time, subdued an Ethereal.
This was, without question, a successful operation, one that not even the Collective can downplay.
Refinement of Integrated Psionic Combined Arms: This operation was one which intentionally involved a significant number of psions, which was seen as the most optimal means of supporting a mass-advancement with minimal casualties. While large-scale psionic warfare has been conceptualized, this is one of the first true tests of the theory, following refinements from Operations Sherman and Kamehameha.
It has largely proven to be a major success, and allowed our forces to withstand attacks that would otherwise have proved crippling, specifically the constant psionic attacks from the Hive Commander, and the brief attack by the Overmind. While the execution of these tactics needs continued refinement, this has served as a complete validation of the doctrine, and we will continue to use it moving forward.
We are likely to begin including PRIESTs in our larger wargames and trainings, in order to synchronize them better with existing combined arms attacks, specifically artillery and airstrikes, to ensure that there is continuous pressure put on enemies, be they defending or attacking. Should this be refined further, we will have established a doctrine which will be instrumental in defeating the Collective and their leaders.
Sustained Losses and Evaluation: Due to the aggressive nature of the battle plan, this operation entailed significantly higher casualties than most previous attacks. This primarily had to do with the aggressive pushes, exposed terrain,elite enemy units, and lack of established trenches. While some of these were mitigated by our PRIESTs, not all of them were, and even they were not enough to prevent casualties.
The interior of the Hiveship claimed the majority of the casualties, as expected. The Hive Commander retained control over interior defenses, and some of the psi-tech shields were still in operation, which allowed him to separate squads and position troops in optimal formations. Working Gateways also allowed a stream of continuous, albeit limited, reinforcements.
Under normal circumstances, an operation like this would have taken significantly longer, due to ADVENT's limited experience with the blitz tactics used in this operation. In reviewing the battle plan and results, it is clear that there were a number of measures that could have been taken or modified to potentially reduce casualties, most of which did not come into play until the fighting began.
We expect that quickly taking Collective positions will be necessary in the future, and the lessons learned here will be useful in building a superior battle plan.
A final note is that a potential candidate for the Revenant Project has emerged from the aftermath. She will be approached with details upon awakening, and the team is expecting her to accept. However, the project and its purpose are beyond the scope of this report. Please refer to the project file for more details.
Validation of the Stormtrooper Division: This was the first major deployment of the new Stormtrooper Division, which was conceptualized for close-range combat in support of ongoing ADVENT offensives. The deployment can be considered a success, and the Stormtroopers were instrumental in softening, penetrating, and, later, securing the Hiveship.
Their reliability was especially important, as we were wary of pulling too many other ADVENT Special Forces from ongoing operations. This was a baseless concern, and the Stormtroopers validated their investment. We will continue expansion of the program across the world, and existing battlefields.
Acquisition of Hiveship Materials and Technology: The major prize from the capture of the Hiveship was the materials we stripped from it, and the technology within it. The amount of alloys that the Hiveship contains is nearly half of what we have obtained over the entire war so far. It cannot be understated how major this acquisition is for our projects, weapons, and defenses, which is to say nothing of the economic implications. With just the materials we have acquired from the Hiveship, ADVENT will retain complete dominance over all currency for the indefinite future. This prediction only relates to the alloys, and doesn't take into account all of the other metals, elerium, and infrastructure claimed.
Computers and Gateways were also recovered, the former of which will be searched and scrapped, though we have, thus far, not found any information of note in the systems. The Gateways will be repurposed and placed in our own bases. Teardown operations of the Hiveship are beginning as we speak, though its sheer size will mean that it will be at least six months before it is fully dismantled, and we expect it to take longer.
This will require a sustained defensive force, though it need not be large, as we do not believe the Collective will make an attempt to retrieve it – not when they have a thousand more of these ships left.
Termination of Hive Commander: This operation marks the first time that ADVENT has faced a Hive Commander in battle, and experienced first-hand how it functions in direct combat. It proved to be an aggressive and tenacious presence, and multiple psions reported it directly taunting or speaking to them from the beginning of the fight until the end.
It was powerful enough that it required our telepaths to work consistently to protect the majority of ADVENT forces from telepathic attacks. It is likely that the Hive Commander used the mental states of his drones to keep himself sustained during the entirety of the battle, giving the illusion of invincibility.
The Hive Commander in question never identified himself, but it was almost identical to previously recorded Hive Commander appearances: orange skin, enlarged head, and taller than Drones. It was trained to some degree in all disciplines, save teleportation, and seemed specifically adept at telekinesis and telepathy, with a working understanding of aegii and dynamo psionics.
It was, however, able to be overcome when directly confronted by soldiers, and was ultimately terminated.
New Collective Units: It is worth noting that this battle saw the deployment of a new unit which has not previously been identified. At first glance, they appeared to be a variant of the Muton Elite, if not as large, wearing black armor and wielding specialized plasma weapons. Psions reported that they were nearly impossible to psionically control, without any immediate explanation as to why.
Aegis confirmed that they are the Praetorian Guard, an elite batch of Mutons that are directly commanded by the Imperator on his Temple Ship (ADVENT records also show that Praetorian Guards were involved in a single operation in South America). Supposedly, they only involve themselves in places the Imperator has an interest in – implying the Imperator did not want us to capture the Hiveship.
This may be a prelude to the Imperator ordering the Praetorian Guard to become more involved, which would be a major boost to Collective operations. Praetorian Guards displayed notably more inventive and lethal tactics than their lesser brethren, and were repeatedly cited by ground forces as reason for casualties and successful Collective defenses.
We should expect to see these units deployed more, and, with the deployment of the Battlemaster's Gray Phoenix Mutons, it appears the Collective is shifting how it utilizes the Mutons, from pure cannon fodder to more intelligent shock troopers. Our tactics may need to be updated as a result.
Capture of the Second Guardian: The capture of an Ethereal was not something we believed was a possibility, though we accounted for the potential of Ethereal intervention. Fortunately, the Collective sent an Ethereal that we were capable of handling with the support of XCOM, and it is extremely gratifying to report the capture of the Second Guardian.
She is currently being held in an isolated containment cell with 24/7 monitoring, in a drug-induced coma, and with preliminary Manchurian Conditioning (inactivate). She has also been injected with a nanite solution that will activate if a signal is given, and surgically fitted with six plasma charges near vital organs. We are considering nerve severing to render her completely comatose, though this has not been finalized.
We are in negotiations with XCOM as to how to handle her. The general agreement is that she is too dangerous to keep alive, knowing the capabilities of the Ethereals, as well as the sentiment that there must be consequences for the role she played in the invasion of our world. We are working on determining a date for trial and sentencing, which we expect XCOM to agree to.
Aegis has voiced his opposition to execution, arguing that the current methods are sufficient to keep her imprisoned long-term. Aegis is likely to repeat this during the Tribunal, and is not opposed to her sentencing. We do not expect his rhetoric to sway the outcome.
Expected Collective Response: We do not expect the Collective to formally acknowledge the capture of the Second Guardian, though they will probably acknowledge it internally and to their allies, and attempt to downplay its significance – a difficult task, considering the role they hold within the Collective. We expect them to immediately begin planning rescue operations, which we will attempt to deter by leaking or publishing the details of how we are containing her.
There is a small chance that the Collective will attempt negotiations of some kind, though it is difficult to see why they would do so beyond delaying a trial and allowing more time for a rescue operation. Any offer should be taken with extreme skepticism.
Militarily, we expect the Collective to maintain their ongoing offensives in Europe and the Middle East, though it is unknown if they will send another Hiveship unless they determine a way to mitigate the potential for Caelior to bring it down. We may see a spike in offensives worldwide as retaliation, as well as direct abduction attempts on prominent figures in ADVENT.
The Collective will want to keep the retaliation proportional, though there will likely be some disagreement on what they will consider 'proportional'. We should consider everyone in ADVENT at risk, especially since the Ethereal assassin, Sicarius, remains at large. Should steps be taken to mitigate this risk, we will be able to weather whatever retaliation the Ethereals have planned.
ALEPPO – Heavy fighting over the crashed Sectoid Hiveship has continued for nearly two days, with ADVENT moving what is estimated to be tens of thousands of soldiers to capture one of the most potent symbols of alien supremacy. While reporting and details have been carefully monitored by ADVENT, who did not permit reporters to visit the battlefield, the first details have been released on the situation in the region.
ADVENT has confirmed that they have largely secured the remains of the Hiveship, as well as killed the Hive Commander in charge of the vessel, the third known Hive Commander killed in the conflict, with two having previously been killed by XCOM.
The Hive Commanders are considered by many to be among the most powerful alien psions in operation, only behind the Ethereals themselves, and the undisputed rulers of the Sectoid species. They have previously been extremely rare, and the arrival of the Hiveship signaled a shift in how the Hive Commanders were approaching the conflict, taking a more involved role.
No information has been released on the specific Hive Commander killed in this operation. ADVENT has said they will provide details as they learn them, and that "This outcome may serve as a deterrent and warning for the rest of the Greater Hive Commanders who want to participate. If you come, we will kill you."
Right now, ADVENT says that there is only scattered fighting around and within the Hiveship, with the remaining alien pockets having been pacified. A senior officer has said that they expect the fighting to be fully resolved within two days, and "We are bringing in more PRIESTs to expedite the process to finding and terminating enemy forces."
The most important update released, however, was that the Hiveship was personally defended by the Second Guardian – who had been noted as having vanished from the Salt Lake City battlefield in the same timeframe, and, while there was initial speculation about her support to the Hiveship defense, ADVENT did not confirm any details.
Now, ADVENT has not only confirmed that the Second Guardian was involved, but that she is currently in joint ADVENT-XCOM custody after being subdued by a combination of XCOM Operatives, ADVENT PRIESTs, and Aegis. They did not release specifics of how this happened, but have shared photos and video proving that she is in their custody.
ADVENT did not give any indication of how she would be treated, or what would be done with her, though the news of this has set off rampant speculation of how ADVENT is going to handle a captive Ethereal. Legal experts say that she is likely to be put on trial, though it would probably be a military tribunal, rather than a civilian one, due to her role within the Collective military and leadership.
"It's a question of what she could be charged with," one lawyer said. "There are a few obvious choices, but ADVENT is going to want to make it legitimate if they take this route. Ethereals have an odd place in the Collective. While they clearly have a military role, they also play an important part in civilian society. This isn't like trying a military general for waging a war, the Second Guardian has likely been in talks with the Imperator himself since before the start of the war. ADVENT could easily bring a case of unjustified invasion and convict her on that."
Where experts are divided is on what the outcome of such a trial would be. "Execution, without a doubt," one said. "If ADVENT was fine with imprisoning her, they wouldn't do this at all. Beyond her role in the Collective, which could entail an architectural role in this entire conflict, she is an Ethereal. Keeping those imprisoned is legitimately risky, not only because of their inherent abilities, but also because the Collective will try and rescue her if they see an opportunity."
Others aren't as convinced. "That would be taking a risk," one admitted. "Appealing as the idea of executing an Ethereal is, the ramifications could be extreme. This isn't like if we had the Zar'Chon or another non-Ethereal leader. Ethereals are icons to the Collective like no other. There is an expected tradition of keeping enemy leaders alive and well, because, if you don't, then you can't expect the same. If our Chancellor, or the Commander of XCOM were captured, we wouldn't want them summarily executed." She did admit that, "it depends on the case ADVENT will make, but let's not kid ourselves – if they want her dead, they will kill her. ADVENT law is open enough where that could be legally justified with ease."
This is, notably, not the first Ethereal that has been captured. The Ethereal Caelior was captured by XCOM months ago, though has since emerged as an ally, similar to Aegis. XCOM claims that this was done of his own volition, and public statements by Caelior have also indicated this was brought about as the result of a shift in worldview and previous treatment by the Collective.
There is speculation that this might be attempted with the Second Guardian, though few legal experts are convinced it's a similar situation. "This is not going to end up like Caelior," one said, who was clear to emphasize his point. "The scenarios are completely different. This is joint ADVENT-XCOM custody for one. If XCOM wanted to convert another Ethereal, they'd insist on full custody. Second is that the Second Guardian is, simply, not Caelior. She is older, and has knowingly been involved in the management of this invasion since the beginning. It is difficult to see ADVENT or XCOM wanting to turn her, not to mention that there is no indication she has the background which would make her susceptible to the persuasion that Caelior underwent."
ADVENT has not given a timetable on when to expect further developments, but it is estimated to be within weeks, or when ADVENT declares the ongoing Turkey campaign to be finished.
There has been no official response from the Ethereal Collective following the announcement, and it is unlikely that one will be released. It is possible that the Collective may attempt negotiations to secure her release, but it is unlikely that ADVENT would agree, though they have not stated if there were ongoing negotiations or not.
Nonetheless, the fact that an Ethereal was defeated and captured will deal a significant blow to the image of the Ethereal Collective, who portray the Ethereals as invincible and immune to defeat. Depending on how ADVENT ultimately treats the Second Guardian, the Collective could see the first trial of an Ethereal ringleader – a preview for what they can expect if more Ethereals fall to ADVENT, and one they may use to rally their allies.
- Article | "ADVENT Confirms Ethereal Captured; Hiveship Largely Secured"
To the Battlemaster and Imperator,
While the initiation of this battle was outside of our expectations, there was good reason to believe that the inherent forces and capabilities of the Hiveship would be sufficient to hold out against the ADVENT forces that had amassed in preparation. However, we significantly underestimated what ADVENT and XCOM would utilize to capture it.
This is a significantly symbolic victory for ADVENT, as, while they did not take down a Hiveship in a traditional manner, it matters little when they were able to do so at all. A Hiveship is replaceable, as are all of the forces within it. However, this will lead to a significant morale boost, and ADVENT is certain to replicate the tactics used here to great effect in the future.
What is not replaceable is the loss of the Second Guardian to the combined ADVENT, XCOM, T'Leth, and traitor forces. This miscalculation has cost us significantly, and her loss will cause incalculable damage to the war effort should she not be recovered at the first possible instance.
We are at a pivotal moment, and our steps must be considered carefully. A more thorough assessment follows:
DEPLOYMENT OF ELITE HUMAN FORCES: ADVENT used a significant amount of elite forces for this operation; we have estimated that it is nearly a fifty percent increase compared to similarly equivalent operations. ADVENT was prepared for this operation, and knew how it would be executed.
They were well aware that they could not afford to let it turn into a siege, as Gateway access would allow the Hiveship to hold out indefinitely. Thus, they were forced to leverage their elite forces, specifically the Lancers, PRIESTs, and the newly deployed Stormtroopers. The good news for us is that higher than standard casualties were inflicted, and this may affect their combat readiness and future operations for an unknown period after this.
This battle alone saw nearly a full ten percent of ADVENT's PRIESTs deployed in support, which were enough to mitigate the combined threat of the Hive Commander, Second Guardian, and the Overmind, as well as all of the deployed Vanguards, though these were largely inconsequential, and the Meat Puppets, which were occupied by Aegis and XCOM.
If nothing else, this was informative to understand how ADVENT will plan to approach operations like this with psionically-powerful targets. Hive Commander 072 managed far better in this engagement, compared to his first encounter with XCOM, and it is expected that he will learn from this defeat as well.
The support from XCOM and T'Leth also cannot be discounted. XCOM Squads were instrumental in the mitigation of the deployed Meat Puppets and the Second Guardian, and, without both Aegis and Caelior, this operation simply would never have succeeded. While there were few identified Agents of T'Leth, they were present and largely provided telepathic protection from the Overmind and 072.
INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE TO COMBINED ARMS: While an argument can be made that the Hiveship was not an ideal ground for a sustained defense, our combat doctrine is insufficient for answering the combined arms tactics that ADVENT is fielding with increasing sophistication. This was one of the largest experimental deployments in the war, and ADVENT likely used this as a testbed.
Synchronized artillery strikes with airstrikes and psionic offensives, Stormtrooper raids while telepaths paralyzed entire groups, sustained suppressive efforts while chemical attacks were launched, with telekines and aegii psions shielding from retaliation. ADVENT used this battle to refine the role of their psions in combat, and have appeared to realize that they have the numbers to successfully integrate them.
While they may not have wanted to become reliant on psionics, it seems unlikely that they will ignore the successes of this conflict, and others, and we should expect to see this applied on other battlefields. The point of this is that we do not have a good way of mitigating this, outside of Ethereals and Hive Commanders – we lack the number of trained psions the Humans have, and, while the Sectoid Vanguards are an excellent auxiliary force, each one is weak, at worst, or on par, at best, with Humans.
There are limited options we can take, primarily greater Bringerian integration, additional Meat Puppet deployments, or SAS psions, all of which have distinct drawbacks, not least of which being that ADVENT and XCOM have faced each of them, and have tactics in place and ready to implement, should they appear.
It is recommended that our military leadership, including the Battlemaster, Patricia Trask, J'Loran, and other ranking leadership, review the current defensive doctrine, and make needed and essential revisions.
LOSS OF HIVESHIP AND FUTURE MITIGATION: The loss of the Hiveship, while an irritant, is not particularly distressing. It will take time to produce another one, but every Hive Commander has a secondary fleet, and, in the greater scope of the Sectoid Fleet, it is hardly a damaging loss. It will grant ADVENT a significant amount of resources, but this is unlikely to materially affect the course of the conflict.
They will likely seize the Gateways and computers within, though it is unlikely they will acquire important data, as Hiveships do not retain unnecessary classified material, and it is likely that 072 followed procedures and performed a ship-wide wipe shortly before combat. There should be no new technology acquired, as Hiveships do not use unique psi-tech or computation.
The Hiveship should not have been threatened at all, and it would not have been, were it not for the utilization of Caelior. While we knew that he had the raw power to perform a feat such as this, it was not expected he had the skill to carry it out. We believe that he has undergone a personality shift,becoming less temperamental and more mature, but this also implies that he has refined his training as well, likely from Aegis.
I should not have to spell out the danger posed by an ally to the Humans that can reliably crash some of our largest ships. By all accounts, it did put him into an unconscious state, but, if that is the price for taking down a Hiveship, then it is one he and XCOM will pay every time. This is not acceptable, and it is advised that Caelior be terminated as soon as possible.
He poses a threat to the Collective, and to allow him to continue is irresponsible and dangerous. ADVENT will not hesitate to execute Betos should they get ahold of her, Caelior should be no different for us, Ethereal or not.
INCAPACITATION OF HIVE COMMANDER 072: Hive Commander 072's working body was terminated in the battle, though not before extracting a significant toll from ADVENT. I have confirmed with his Hive that the body is being prepared for emergence, and 072 performed a recent transfer only two days before the attack.
We expect him to return to his duties shortly, and to inform you as to his own assessment, once he has been updated on what exactly happened. I suspect he will want to have another round at the Humans, though given his two previous attempts have ended in failure, perhaps there should be several others added to provide additional support.
LOSS OF SUPPORT TO ONGOING OPERATIONS: The loss of the Hiveship has caused significant logistical bottlenecks in our ongoing operations in Ukraine and Europe. While ground forces have been able to establish Gateway supply lines, the lack of a Hiveship to provide sustained and material support in the form of heavy equipment, vehicles, and reinforcements has ground any advancement in the region to a halt.
This has also removed our air superiority from the region, and we are unable to provide directed bombardments or the psionic attacks that had come from Hive Commander 072. While our operations are not in jeopardy of outright failing, we are being forced to immediately reassess battle plans – and the fact that ADVENT will be continuing their advance into Turkey will draw even more forces from the front lines.
CAPTURE OF THE SECOND GUARDIAN: This is a far larger blow to the Collective than the loss of a Hiveship or the units within. ADVENT and XCOM seem to have prepared for the possibility of Ethereal support, as they had two full XCOM squads with powerful psions, Aegis, and the Agents of T'Leth prepared.
The Second Guardian was not prepared for this kind of engagement, and, while she held out well against extremely daunting odds, the fact is that only a few Ethereals could have successfully held out against a force this formidable. I do not know why she did not retreat when she realized this, though it is likely that ADVENT and XCOM were intentionally engaging her over the entire battle to prevent that possibility.
By all accounts, there was no break in the fighting, continuing for nearly a day and a half. The Second Guardian would be able to sustain that under normal circumstances, but against Aegis and Sovereign puppets? That is not a simple battle, not when it is a fight for survival. It is unknown how she was ultimately brought down, though we cannot discount the possibility that it was due to exhaustion or trickery.
She must be recovered as soon as possible. ADVENT will make a decision on her shortly, and our window of opportunity before she is executed is limited.
INFLICTED LOSSES: The Hiveship is the largest material loss, though replaceable. This assessment can be extended to much of the military losses. A significant number of Mutons, both normal and Elite, died, along with a moderate number of the Praetorian Guard. A half-dozen Meat Puppets were also terminated, which will be more difficult to replace, though not infeasible.
The Second Guardian is also a loss, but she is alive, which gives us a chance at recovering her. The body of Hive Commander 072 was also lost, though it is not a permanent setback. Should we not successfully recover the Second Guardian, it will cause a significant morale drop once word spreads about her capture, one which will call into question Ethereal strength and leadership.
ANTICIPATED ADVENT ACTIONS: Militarily, ADVENT is likely to push deep into Turkey and properly annex it, in addition to returning their forces to deal with other battles across the world. There will remain a small force around the Hiveship, and it is likely that it will remain for several months until ADVENT fully or mostly dismantles it.
We expect that ADVENT will almost certainly move to execute the Second Guardian. XCOM has thus far not demanded full custody, and likely will not see her as capable of being turned like Caelior was. Civilian speculation entertains the idea that ADVENT may decide to hold her indefinitely, but this is extremely unlikely.
ADVENT knows the inherent risks of holding an Ethereal prisoner, and there is no chance they would willingly risk the chance of her escape or capture. ADVENT is almost certain to determine that it is far safer to execute her as soon as possible, especially since they know we will be planning rescue operations.
The method by which they perform is unknown. ADVENT is most likely to pursue a legal justification and have her sentenced and executed, both to comply with ADVENT law, and likely to publicize her defeat to the world and beyond, prior to executing her. It is possible that ADVENT will forgo this, and execute her via authorization from the Chancellor or Oversight Division, due to the inherent risk she poses.
We expect that Aegis, and potentially Caelior, will lobby for indefinite imprisonment, likely with sustained T'Leth oversight or guards, perhaps within the Praesidium. Aegis has consistently been opposed to the execution of Ethereals (Isomnum being the exception), which is likely a reason why he made the effort to capture, rather than kill, her.
We do not expect him to successfully sway ADVENT or XCOM, and this has the potential to strain relations between him and the leadership, though not to an extent that can be exploited. It is possible he will be useful in delaying the period that will lead to her execution, though this should not be relied on.
PROPOSED REACTION: The Second Guardian is the largest issue here, and it is imperative we force delays as much as possible. Aegis is likely to be opposed to her execution, and that can be utilized. It is recommended that the Collective covertly or overtly signal a wish to open negotiations for her return.
To be clear – these negotiations will not go anywhere, as there is almost nothing that ADVENT will take in return for an Ethereal. However, even if these talks are doomed, it will serve in one of two ways. The first is that it will delay the proceedings, and allow us more time to prepare rescue operations to employ when the negotiations fail. It is very unlikely that ADVENT would continue with a trial while negotiations are taking place, especially since Aegis will likely seize the chance to prevent her death.
The second is that it will portray the Collective in a more positive and professional image, especially if conducted by members or Ethereals that Humans generally view positively, such as the Battlemaster. The cease-fire in Florida proved that both the Collective and ADVENT are capable of communicating cordially, and that there is grounds for trust – irrespective of the fact that ADVENT used the ceasefire to buy time for activating GAIA.
While the chance is unlikely, we should have some offerings in the event that ADVENT is willing to negotiate. Again, we do not believe this will happen, even if Aegis insists, but we cannot have this appear as a fraudulent offer. It is also unlikely that the Battlemaster would participate in it if we did not intend to offer something significant in return.
The question is what that would be. We have a limited amount of time to respond to this before it is too late. It is recommended this be determined as soon as possible.
- Zar'Chon'ravarian'vitiary