New Cerebrates emerged swiftly.
Two Cerebrates, nearly identical to Zasz—distinguishable only by speech patterns—presented themselves before the Overmind.
†I shall name you. You are [Kans]. And you are [Zas].†
"We thank the Overmind for granting us life." Kans' tone was measured, grave.
"We shall dedicate all to you, supreme Overmind." Zas' tone was sharper, more piercing.
Cerebrate statistics were identical. Only their vocal patterns differed.
†You will now administer our two existing planets. Maintain sufficient resource income. Expand Swarm scale to maximum feasible extent.†
"As you command, Overmind."
The Cerebrates departed swiftly, each boarding a Leviathan for their assigned world. Simultaneously, two new Brood Queens emerged.
Their external morphologies were distinctly differentiated. Even the Overmind—face-blind as he was—could discern their visual disparity.
†I grant you names. From this day, you are Nydusara and Zagara.†
The Overmind, ever indolent in nomenclature, simply bestowed the names of two renowned Heart of the Swarm Brood Queens.
Names were mere labels.
†You will join Izsha. Swarm propagation and creep maintenance: your responsibilities.†
"As you command, Overmind."
Both Brood Queens possessed pleasing voices. Whether this stemmed from Eldar genetic influence or Abathur's deliberate design—likely the former. Abathur's disposition made intentional aesthetic voice sculpting improbable.
†Phew. Time to relax.†
With subordinates managing affairs, the Overmind's direct oversight was unnecessary.
Like a co-op commander whose forces autonomously executed operations. Exhilarating.
†Ah. Macro and mass-production. So pleasant. And no mandatory overtime like Guilliman. Bliss.†
Such tranquility, in Warhammer 40K, was precious. Perhaps only in Garden Worlds could one experience such idyllic existence.
But someone always stirs trouble.
On day eight of macro-expansion, the witching hour. The Hive world's sealed Webway Gate abruptly opened. Eldar in black armor emerged silently. Their armor absorbed all light. They carried specialized net-projectors.
Their squad leader stepped through the gate. His foot contacted creep. He hesitated.
"This world is supposed to be Mon-keigh territory. Why is it covered in… this filth?"
A Dark Eldar Kabal. Their objective: this Hive world, human slaves for Commorragh. Routine. Extremely. Extremely. Routine.
They had encountered Zerg instead.
Zerglings roused first. Immediate combat state. Instinctive, ferocious charges.
Dark Eldar blades were not ornamental. Steel flashed in darkness. Charging Zerglings were effortlessly slain.
The Kabalite squad leader examined the bisected, still-twitching Zergling beneath his boot. Interest kindled.
"Interesting beasts. Capture some. Commorragh's arenas will pay."
Slave-taking: humans or xenos. No distinction.
Dark Eldar produced specialized net-cannons. They began capturing nearby Zerg. Mostly Zerglings. Occasional Hydralisks—which, upon attempting to attack, were immediately entangled in custom net-projectiles.
The squad leader observed a netted Hydralisk. Immobilized. It still attempted to fire spines at him.
This Dark Eldar's reflexes arguably exceeded an Astartes'. A slight head turn evaded several hypersonic spines. He administered a sedative dose.
Eldar-grade anesthetics. Even Hydralisks, possessing some sedation resistance, succumbed within seconds.
"Adequate. Worth retrieval."
Then—the Dark Eldar noticed a Drone in the distance, transporting organic minerals. Drone scale was substantial. Roughly truck-sized. This immediately captivated them.
"Substantial. Even more intriguing."
Poor Drone, surrounded by observing Dark Eldar, refused to relinquish its mineral payload.
"Secure it."
Within the Webway Gate, several Dark Eldar piloted hovering skiffs. Each skiff accommodated three to four Dark Eldar. Each mounted a large-caliber beast-hunting harpoon.
Harpoon fired. It embedded in the Drone. Immediately expanded barbs.
Skiffs strained, attempting to tow the Drone. The Drone's strength was considerable. The skiffs struggled. A second skiff launched its harpoon. Two skiffs, combined effort, gradually dragged the Drone toward the Webway Gate.
"Adequate. Conclude."
The squad leader surveyed his warriors. Each bore trophies. He ordered: "Return."
This Kabalite force was modest: barely thirty warriors. They hadn't intended to take numerous slaves.
Ultimately, they departed with under a hundred captured Zerg. An insignificant number. They left without alerting Cerebrates or the Overmind.
Only when Cerebrate Kans noticed Zergling corpses and abandoned organic minerals near the Webway Gate did he register anomaly.
"Overmind. Zergling casualties detected at Webway Gate vicinity. Nearby hostiles have been eliminated. No enemy should be capable of inflicting casualties here."
†Ah?!†
The Overmind blinked. Zergling casualties?
He extended perception to the Webway Gate. Dark Eldar operations were swift, their damage minimal. But traces remained.
A Overmind–controlled Zergling discovered metallic fragments. Distinctly Dark Eldar in design. Probably scraped off during Zerg struggles. Dark Eldar metallurgy was unmistakable: that pitch-black alloy. Commorragh's handiwork.
†Webway Gate vicinity. Plus this metal. Dark Eldar visited. Then departed?†
Dark Eldar were Eldar. Survivors of Slaanesh's birth, ten millennia past.
Ten millennia ago, Slaanesh's birth-cry annihilated over ninety percent of Eldar and their worlds. Most Eldar in the Webway city of Commorragh perished. A minority survived.
These Eldar sheltered within the Webway. It shielded them from Slaanesh's predation.
But post-Slaanesh, all Eldar souls are gradually consumed by Slaanesh. Unless shielded by soulstones.
Dark Eldar possess no soulstones. To compensate for soul-loss, they harvest emotional energy from other beings' deaths. Humans are optimal.
Rapid reproduction. Abundant emotional energy. Throughout Commorragh's thoroughfares, one can witness caged, screaming humans adorning walls.
Their cruelty repels other Eldar. Combined with their brutality, their signature black panoply—hence "Dark Eldar."
Essentially, they remain Eldar. Indistinguishable from kin.
†Wait. Dark Eldar killed a few Zerglings and LEFT? No wonder I wasn't alerted.†
Actually, over a hundred Zerglings were also taken. Not that it mattered. A few Zerglings. A few hundred Zerglings. To the Overmind, identical. Losses negligible.
More insulting: they came, took barely a hundred Zerglings. Who do they think they're mocking?! Append a "0" to that hundred. No—two "0"s!!!
The Overmind extended his awareness, seeking Zerg Swarm units elsewhere in the galaxy. Commorragh, however, was not in realspace. No perception.
†Whether you're in Commorragh or not—one way to find out. Nydusara. You have a mission.†
"Awaiting deployment, Overmind."