It didn't take long at all before Visler was carried away from Saint Vernon's Cathedral in a medical carrier to the Star Viper command ship. Scythe was thankfully eager to meet with him and immediately cancelled what he had planned for the day. When he arrived at Scythe's headquarters, he looked at him with eager eyes. He wasn't particularly strong-looking, not like what you'd expect a Nal'Hirak leader to look like. The lizard walked over to Visler and took a few sniffs a few feet from his body.

"I had to smell it to believe it" the lizard said in a deep and raspy voice. "I wouldn't believe there to be other reptilian lineages if I didn't know the history of our people" he said motioning for his guard to leave the room. "Let me formally introduce myself. I am Lord Byratothka, premier of the forces of the Star Viper Clan, but I'm more well-known more by my nomme de guerre, Scythe. I want you to explain as much to me as much as your strength will allow" Scythe remarked. "How did you end up here?"

"We got surrounded by the human forces" Visler said over labored breathing "and we decided it was better to flee through the gamma corridor than to be taken prisoner by the hominids. We also came to see if your side couldn't offer help to us. We are losing the war to the hominids and wanted to know if you had means to send help."

"I could ask you why your side hasn't already came over to ask for help" Scythe said in an unsympathetic tone. The keys to the warp gates are on your side. Do you not have them?"

"No, we don't" Visler said over a few coughs.

"Who is the Warlord of the clans over there, anyways?" he asked sounding disappointed. Visler didn't answer the question.

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"It's a moot point for now" Scythe said. "We've got a bit of a situation on our side as well. The Metaphysicist Nateedra a few decades ago absconded with a group of humans from here and took them to one of the habitable worlds that we don't know the location of. They call it Eden."

"I thought that Nateedra was sympathetic to preventing the spread of the humans through space" Visler said.

"Yes, and that's why I can think of no other reason for him to do that other than to raise an army to fight me."

"Where are the other metaphysicists?" Visler asked seeing an opportunity to broach the subject. Scythe said nothing for a few seconds.

"What's it to you?" he asked sounding suspicious.

"I can perhaps die knowing the answer to the question we've agonized over on our side for a while now."

"Years ago we captured Alkarod and attempted to force him to make a warp gate key for us. We put up an incredibly stubborn resistance and one day – not long after Nateedra disappeared – he escaped. If I were placing a wager I'd say he's with Nateedra. As for Grithmeer, I always assumed he'd stay on your side with the hominids he loves so much."

"No trace of him" Visler said heaving a big cough with a wheeze. "The hominids don't seem to know where he is, either."

"I see" Scythe said thoughtfully. "That's probably good news for you." Visler coughed violently a few more times, more so than he would've liked to, but his illness had to be completely convincing to the medical technology and sophisticated sense of smell of the reptilia.

"I would love to hear you talk more about what's going on over on your side, but I don't think you're going to last much longer. I can end your suffering right now if you like-"

"No" Visler said as forcefully as he could muster. "I wish to find my own resting place in nature in the tradition of my clan. "

"Very well" Psythe answered. " There are vast forests we do not let the humans go near where you can rest peacefully. I will provide you with some transportation."

"Thank you, Lord Byratothka" Scythe said. "I offer my best wishes for your clan."