**Are they engaging any of the Surrithae?** Xerxes asked, concerned, idly glaring at Alarak once more.
**Not presently, yet they have forced the entirety to stop... Which doesn't appear to be causing problems at the moment.** Kuldaris explained, working almost feverishly at his control console, having opened a visual commlink from the bridge. He projected over an image, likely live feed from an observer, which appeared to be following the Tal'Darim Death Fleet at a distance, and beyond it two of the Ahr'aht world ships could be seen, still smaller than in truth due to the perspective distance, yet still obviously dwarfing any of the Tal'Darim ships.
**Surprising, I would have expected them to simply begin firing.** Xerxes chided, glancing at Alarak who huffed.
**They know when they are outmatched.**
**Unlike you.** Vorazun interjected, Artanis chuckling.
**I beleive we have all had quite enough of this posturing nonsense. Xerxes, can you reach out to Leonlocke and Samateus?** Artanis asked, squashing Alaraks intended rebuke before he could formulate one, Xerxes shaking his head. He motioned with a quick head tilt off beyond the side of the engine room, where light began to grow in brightness from outside the ship.
**No need, it would appear they have finished their business with the Terrans.** He purred lightly, Samateus streaking over in her armour and landing near the bridge at the front of the ship, trilling at Kuldaris, who only bobbed his head in acknowledgement before he promptly warped them to the general vicinity of her kin, then between the two opposing fleets.
Artanis almost asked about Leonlocke, when a massive shadow began to spread over the nearest Ahr'Aht world ship, coalescing as the massive form of the Illithichtiel, his eerie radioactive green gemfire eyes glaring dangerously at the Tal'Darim fleet. Kuldaris then looked at Alarak via his commlink, sighing.
**Highlord, First Ascendant Ji'Nara has hailed us, demanding your return. I trust you will not retaliate further for us 'abducting' you?** He snidely asked, Xerxes offering him a concerned glance, and raised brow of thinly veiled amusement. Alarak glanced at Xerxes, Artanis, and then Vorazun, making a show of rolling his eyes when he confirmed they all watched him closely.
**Fine. I will refer to this incident as a necessary breach of territory. I will not, however, acknowledge any relation to any of you in the presence of my underlings.** Alarak stabbed, glaring daggers mainly at Xerxes. Xerxes shook his head, sighing lightly.
**Given time, you may not have a choice. Some are already lapsing in their judgement in remaining on their 'medication', Amon's influence among your number grows, I can feel several from here.** The group then turned to him pointedly, confusion and concern obvious. **I, admittedly, can reconnect to Amon's Khala, or block others from accessing it and redirect their connection.** Rohana blinked almost comically.
**You... You can redirect them to your mind? How?** She asked, Xerxes blushing lightly as he had omitted that purposely.
**Yes...** Artanis frowned, Alarak laughing and Vorazun further confused. Xerxes sighed, wings visibly appearing to droop. **I hadn't wished to bring that up as yet, though it appears I must.** Xerxes grumbled, Arska and Taluth purring up at him soothingly. **I have a similar 'hive mind' to the Zerg, though more comparable to the Khala, with range and supposed 'storage' to match. I can access the Khala itself, though doing so would alert Amon and his pockets of loyalists still around. I believe I inadverdently generated thus once I became Primal Zerg. While I've not made use of it as yet, I believe I can locate and redirect any who are nearby that may be held to Amon's Khala, I will not force them to remain connected to me, however if they wish to, they may. Amon is a cancer that I cannot fully remove at the moment, not from here.**
Rohana frowned, yet nodded, Xerxes' explanation did explain enough, though unsettled her as this meant Xerxes had somehow created a second Khala, a completely organic one. Artanis shook his head, such would have been invaluable when Amon had decided to begin his invasion in earnest, he quickly squashed the thoughts of Zeratul that rose in his mind, hearts wrenching slightly in his chest. Karax also appeared concerned, then realised that Xerxes had mentioned something strange.
**What do you mean by medication?** Karax also looked to Alarak, who glared at the Phasesmith.
**Terrazine, primarily. It's how they can remain unsevered yet still separate from the Khala.** Kuldaris chimed in, Xerxes nodding.
**Yes, an inhalant I beleive. Amon, in truth, did not have a hand in it's creation. Though it's been used in many forms, and found in smaller quantities on worlds other than Bel'Shir.** Xerxes added, raising a brow when Samateus snorted audibly.
**I'm pretty sure it's what is in Sundrop that my kin and I abhore.** Samateus mentioned, shaking herself lightly.
**We can speak on that later.** Xerxes interrupted before Artanis could ask how they knew of it, Xerxes offering a glance to his younger brother as an apology. **Right now, those who are connected to Amon are trying to undermine Ji'Nara and start a fight. Alarak, as the Tal'Darim Highlord, I must ask your permission to redirect their connections...** Alarak glowered, hating that such could have happened right under his feet, taking a long moment before nodding reluctantly.
**You have my consent, to stop Amon at any cost. I will not remain indebted to you, however.** Alarak snarled, pointedly wagging an almost accusing finger at Xerxes. Xerxes nodded, closing his eyes for a long moment, he appeared to strain, brief arcs of violet psionic lightning playing along his nervecords as he reached out for each mind, each connection to the Khala, seeing each in his minds-eye as a vibrant crimson thread connected to the individuals, and away, disappearing from view, all directed toward Aiur. Rohana moved to gently rest a hand on his wing, closing her eyes to watch him do this, enthralled and awed that Xerxes could easily generate his own threads, appearing to be the same violet colour as his energy, long strands moving to first wrap around the threads of each individual, about two hundred or so from the entirety of the Death Fleet. Once each thread had wrapped around the existing one, he snapped his like a whip, breaking the old Khala connection and sending Amon's influence screaming back to whence it came.
Confusion, pain, concern and relief wafted over him from these new connections, yet he let them lengthen, giving the freed Tal'Darim their individuality back if they so chose to remain separate. Xerxes visibly relaxed, Rohana quickly removing her hand from him, able to tell when he opened his eyes, that he had expended more energy than he thought he would have, understanding her plight as a Preserver far more intimately now. Lia'Ashra trilled curiously, concerned for Xerxes.
**I'll be alright, I've not done this before, it's a great deal of information to take in at once, I didn't expect it so, suddenly.** He admitted, wordlessly expressing that, while he had not intended to engage it himself, the very essence of each that he connected to his organic Khala, their memories and experiences, had downloaded, in a sense, into his mind. Xerxes could potentially use it to push into the minds of those connected to him, yet would never do so unless asked, and would never use their individual secrets against them or anyone they know. Alarak narrowed his eyes at this admission, glad he knew this as he would ensure he would not lapse on his own treatments, or would find another way to be free of both without maiming himself.
Artanis and Karax glared at the unwarranted insult, their severance having been necessary for their freedom. Xerxes growled dangerously at Alarak for the jab, despite using a great deal of his strength and likely energy to regenerate and expand the capacity of his mind to accomodate the added requirements for his Psionic network, having far more than enough of his attitude and unneccessary comments.
**Go, Arrogant child, if any of your followers follow the lead of those connected to me now, I will do what I can to sever Amon's sway of them. Now, get off my ship.** Xerxes snarled, spreading his mandibles and baring his teeth. Alarak huffed, crossing his arms as he turned to glare at Kuldaris, who promptly teleported Alarak to the Death Fleet's lead captial ship, where he had been when this whole debacle started.
Xerxes then almost collapsed, Arska and Taluth quickly scooting back to give him space, the Primal Hybrid giving out a low groan. Rohana remained near him, concerned, as this would be the first time since they had freed him earlier that day, for him to show outwardly the pain he felt. The Tal'Darim fleet soon began warping away, Xerxes slowly feeling better as the new minds connected to him, now hundreds from only the four connected to him previously, became more distant and less loud for him. Rohana quickly shared some of her training as a Preserver with him, showing him how to enclose and push aside the new connections to allow them to be more dormant, so they would not strain his mind and body. Xerxes rumbled a purr, thanking her profusely for her assistance, Kuldaris soon teleporting down to them, concerned as he had seen Xerxes duck out of view again. Even Karax had turned from his enjoyment of the console wireframes, concerned for the Judicator that had given him further purpose as the primary caretaker of the Spear of Adun.
Artanis remained nearby, wary as well, Vorazun sharing concerned glances with him as they watched Rohana aid Xerxes a long moment. Samateus soon joined them, briefly hovering above to find a spot to land amongst the group, all four paws clapping rather loudly on the floor as she still wore her armour, landing nearer to Karax as her helm melted away.
**Xerxes... You need to replenish yourself. Light energy can only do so much.** Samateus explained, omitting something pointedly, earning her a confused or concerned glance from four of the five Protoss. She shook her head at their wordless questions of what she referred to, only offering that it was related to the Zerg half of his Hybridization.
Xerxes' lack of response, instead giving a curt nod, warned the others that he definitely struggled with the amount of energy he had expended, even his carapace appearing to wrinkle at the edges from his attempts to redirect his own biomass to allocate more toward developing his Psionic Network. Samateus glanced to Kuldaris and the others, sighing lightly as she briefly closed her eyes, reaching out to one of her own kin stationed with Xerxes Surriel. Kuldaris remained close to his father and half-siblings, agitated and concerned, as generating a Psionic Network would have been something he would expect to need far more than a single organic host, and that Xerxes insisted on creating the tethers to himself instead of just simply snapping them without grounding those connections, which would make them free of the Khala as those who were severed became.
**Not quite. Leaving those open-ended connections to the Khala would still leave them vulnerable to Amon.** Rohana explained, picking up on Kuldaris' frustration and concern, the younger male blushing visibly and nodding his understanding. He relaxed a bit then, gently stroking the top of Arska's head when she leaned against his leg lightly, the Hybrid anxious and also concerned for Xerxes, able to tell Kuldaris needed a bit of emotional support. Samateus soon lightly shook herself, looking to the other Daelaam Protoss, gaze lastly falling on Artanis.
**I've arranged for Xerxes and his family to have a place on my Worldship, planetside, so he and his Brood can move about without significant restrictions. ** She explained, right ear flicking lightly. Artanis nodded, Vorazun and Karax nodding also as Rohana cautiously checked on Xerxes once more. The large Primal Hybrid groaned lightly, audibly, forcing himself to nod lightly at her wordless expression of concern.
**He's too preoccupied with what changes he needs to make, however he is thankful for your hospitality.** Rohana explained on his behalf, still concerned for him, yet confident he would recover given time. Vorazun and Artanis accepted this explanation, understanding that Rohana had done all she could to assist him, and that Xerxes would have to continue to adapt and change his own physiology somewhere quiet, well away from other Protoss minds, or even his own Ark ship. Samateus let out a low croon, offered a brief bow to Artanis and the others before moving to Xerxes, the other four Hybrids moving to cluster closer before the group were whisked away in a flash of light. Karax and Kuldaris shared a glance, Kuldaris chuckling lightly, looked to the Solarite core nearby, which appeared to stop the moving petals almost pointedly for a brief moment.
Within a breath, the Spear of Adun warped to them, called by the Obsidian Flare's AI system in order to return the Daelaam to Aiur and their expected duties.
**I will be available to you should you require our assistance, in any capacity.** Kuldaris bowed deeply to the others, straightening up, appearing to -despite all the revelations, knowledge sharing and memories passed around- almost happily return to being alone with the Flare. Rohana shared some of her concern for him with Vorazun, who sighed, realising that he would be, in every sense, her elder sibling, despite having been in stasis much of the time she had lived. Artanis raised a brow at the two females, chuckling lightly despite himself, Kuldaris also shaking his head at their concern.
**I appreciate you thinking of my well being, however I've come to enjoy my solitude.** He eye-smiled at them, bobbing his head lightly in thanks for their concern and extended offer of welcome amongst them. Artanis nodded himself, turning to Karax who seemed torn in remaining with Kuldaris to learn more about the more compact yet obviously far superior Ark ship, Kuldaris waved a hand at him lightly. **Ahren will be able to access and project the same wireframes and show you comparisons between the Spear and the Flare, you don't have to strictly stay here.** Karax offered him a light bow in thanks and respect, reluctance set aside, as the AI for the Spear of Adun, Ahren, lightly chimed in his mind that the Daelaam could return to the Spear whenever they were ready.
Without anything further, Artanis nodded to Karax, who expressed that Ahren could warp them over now, the light of their teleport flashing and fading as Kuldaris gladly left the Engine room of the Obsidian Flare, Aurei, the holographic projection of the AI of the Flare, appearing to walk beside him with concern.
**Why did you decline? You could have looked for Moloch whilst back amongst them.** She asked, Kuldaris shaking his head solemnly.
**I did search, while under the guise of 'Kul'. If he was there, he's also just as reclusive. I suppose I should have expected as much, if I am anything like he is.**
**Or perhaps if you both are as similar to your father, who is much the same.** She chuckled, Kuldaris briefly pausing and blushing.
**I had forgotten, you were with him for a long time after he left Aiur...**
**Indeed, it was from that time I've become more attuned to either of you, and understanding of the nuances of your lives and personalities. Go and rest, I can tell you're quite exhausted from all of this.** Aurei then dematerialized, the Flare visibly moving to match the speed and trajectory of the lead Ahr'Aht worldship. Kuldaris sighed, nodding to himself, and Aurei even though her more personal form had disappeared, turning to go to the private quarters to rest, as he did feel very spent after the excitement of the day.