'Every Pylon outside of the Valley was showing anomalous energy readings. The readings indicated explosive devices. I sent a Probe to investigate one of the Pylons up close. Every Pylon in New Lordaeron had been compromised.'

My fists clenched as my heart rate spiked. I ground my teeth. "Treachery." I growled. It was the only thing that made sense. It was incredibly unlikely that stealthed agents got past the sensors in the Pylons. My mind raced, it couldn't be any of the summons. That only leaves the Nomads. After all what did I really know about them?

The troops upon hearing my outburst surrounded me. Their weapons at the ready, sweeping the area for hostiles. John seemed to fade out of existence. Raynor was using the scope of his rifle to scan every possible overlook.

'Probes are already in the process of removing the explosives from the Pylons. Searching for the signature of the explosives has revealed there are more devices installed in every major structure of the community.'

"Fuck." I snarled. "Every Nomad is a suspect. Scan them for residue... that wouldn't work. All of them have worked with explosives of some type. They have been completing jobs for Amanda or Dakota. They had been helping Probes clear large areas underground. Maybe all of them are in on it." My body had frozen in place. I started to really think about my relationship with the Nomads. With Sally and Megan. I had never questioned the ease of our relationship. I turned it over examining all the angles.

Now I started trembling with rage. The thoughts of them being involved burned my mind and brought my lunch right up to the back of my throat. That acid sear in the back of my mouth ignored as the pain in my heart burned fiercely.

"Hoss... " Jim turned his own thoughts inward, examining his interactions with Amanda. I could feel him run through a similar path in his thoughts. that more than anything gave me a pause. What if I was wrong?

That snapped me partially out of the spiral of anger.

"We don't know." I whispered, suddenly everything I was feeling drained away leaving a cold knot in my belly. "Until we are certain, make no assumptions. We have a treaty. I will not have it broken because I jumped to conclusions."

My eagerness for a sense of belonging would have been so easy to exploit. I held up the mirror of myself in my mind and could only call myself a fool.

Something inside cracked. It was a almost audible sound. The soldiers felt it and twitched before regaining control. My aura erupted, green mana laced with golden threads. It spread quickly over a huge area before it contracted back down to a thin shell just over my skin.

My momentary interest in the effect almost knocked me out of the bizarre cold feeling. After all my mana was a part of me. Understanding it, helped me understand myself, and the changes I was going through.

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"We have to gather intel on them. Alina set up Observers over the Town. Have the Probes add new War Pylons. Keep them on a separate network. Do not add the Nomads to the exemption list. Put all the Probes in the area on this. They may trigger whatever scheme they had plotted when they notice our reactions." I was half issuing orders, half thinking out loud.

I ran through different scenarios in my head, I even used Overclock Self so I wouldn't waste time. Most of my ideas returned to establishing a Stargate. We needed some form of air superiority and then the means to control the orbital lanes above us. I had the sneaking suspicion that their satellites were catching glimpses of our activities. Hints of our presence.

I switched back to communicating with just Alina.

'Once the Probes have a new network of Pylons up, start them on a Stargate. I'll try to expedite it.' It was the best next step. Other then finding a way to remove the Nomads from New Lordaeron, without offending any that were not involved.

"Let's take our time, gentlemen. Nothing is certain. We'll figure this out. Meanwhile we add loyal troops, and make sure whoever is working against us can't do much damage."

This was my mess. I'd clean it up. First let's play with some designs for the future.

After waiting another few hours to give the Probes time to work, we walked back into the Town.

We had mostly managed to get ahold of our emotions during the wait, so we wouldn't potentially give anything away.

Jaina, Amanda, Sally and Megan were waiting by the Town Hall. They were chatting amiably, and all turned to look at us. Megan looked like the cat who got the cream. Sally had a slight frown while Jaina had an almost guilty look on her face. Amanda move over to Raynor immediately and hugged him. I could get a strong sense of any of their emotions, they shifted too quickly. They were rich and full of multiple feelings all at the same time.

"Do you need him for a while?" She gave me a look that said I better not need him. She was steel, and then butter melting. Eagerness and joy, anger and sorrow all at once.

My smile was authentic, "No, have fun you two. In fact... "

I turned to the men, "Dismissed, get some rest, and relax. I'll see you all tomorrow."

My eyes took in the Ladies, "Sorry we took so long, there were some unexpected developments." My smile grew even though my stomach felt like it was on a boat in a storm.

Their emotions all spiked, Annoyance, irritation. Some Joy and glee. Jaina felt like a whirlpool of regret and purpose. She was happy to see me but also sad, and yet full of anticipation.

Why were their emotions so complex, while the Mox had been so much easier to understand. Was it the drugs and alcohol, their different lifestyles, or was it something about me that was different?

My mind ran laps around a track of questions, looking for the best lane.

"How have you been?" I tried to put as much affection into my voice as I could.

"We've been helping Jaina with her tower." Sally patted Jaina on her shoulder. She was upset but happy. Desperate but resolved.

"Y-Yes they've been very helpful." She wouldn't look me in the eyes. Her gaze shift anywhere but me. What the fuck? Her feelings scattered through the full range of human emotion.

"Now, Sally don't try to take a bunch of credit, we didn't help all that much. If fact we probably got in her way more than we helped." Megan was still grinning that Cheshire smirk. I didn't like that one bit. I sensed almost pure smug from here. She felt like she had gotten away with something and it tickled her inner gremlin, a lot.

"Well why don't we all take a look at the Tower. You can tell me all about it." I kept my smile intact. Inside I was sure this was going to suck.

But I had to do it. Had to play like I was a blind fool.

All so I could figure out why the voice in the back of my head was screaming I was fucked.