The territory currently occupied by the Zerg Swarm is already enormous.
Inevitably, these sectors contain scattered bands of Asuryani Rangers and Drukhari raiders. The Overmind has chosen to keep them around rather than consuming them, specifically to use them as a bridge to the Harlequins—the "Flower Sprouts." These enigmatic followers of Cegorach roam the Webway and the galactic fringes; they are the most likely to possess knowledge regarding the displaced Terrans and Protoss.
For the sake of this intelligence, sparing a few xenos lives is a small price to pay.
Before long, the Queen of Blades completed her task of locating a suitable contact.
"My Lord, the subjects you requested have been found."
"Oh? That was fast."
The Overmind focused his consciousness. On a remote planet, a small force of Eldar Rangers was completely encircled by the Swarm. However, the Overmind had forbidden his primary combat units, like Hydralisks and Roaches, from simply steamrolling the position. Instead, the Zerg maintained a silent, suffocating siege.
The Sovereign required them alive. Just as he once besieged Sarah Kerrigan on Tarsonis to preserve her potential, he now hemmed in these Eldar.
The xenos sensed the strangeness of the situation. The Rangers huddled together, retreating into a defensive knot. They stared into the countless pairs of glowing yellow eyes peering from the darkness, their hearts filled with a mixture of terror and confusion.
Why aren't they attacking?
"They have ulterior motives," a Ranger elder whispered. He saw the truth: the master behind these monsters wanted something.
As if on cue, a Brood Queen arrived before the group, flanked by a phalanx of guards. When the Eldar saw that the creature possessed certain feminine, almost elven-like features, they were struck with a mix of anger and disgust. Only the elder, Maiel, suppressed his emotions.
"I am the Hive Queen, Haisanla. I come bearing the will of the Sovereign. Lay down your weapons. If you cooperate, your safety is guaranteed."
Maiel stepped forward, his voice steady despite the odds. "The Eldar Ranger Maiel pays his respects to you and your Overlord... but why have you surrounded us?"
"This is the will of the Sovereign. You need not ask why—simply cooperate."
Haisanla was a lower-tier Queen, just above a Queen Beetle; she did not have access to the Overmind's deepest thoughts, only his immediate commands. Maiel looked at the sea of chitin around them, then turned to his kin.
"Put down your guns."
"But Elder—"
"Put them down!" Maiel hissed. "Even armed, we are twenty against an ocean. We cannot break this line."
The Rangers sighed, placing their longrifles and elegant power swords on the ground. A wise choice.
Suddenly, a deep, resonant psionic vibration emanated from the Queen's throat. It was the voice of the Overmind himself.
"I am the Master of the Swarm. Rest assured, I keep my promises."
"What do you require of us, Overmind?"
"The Black Library."
To many, it might seem simpler to just Infest the Eldar and force them to act. But the Black Library—the secret repository of the Webway—is managed by Cegorach, the Laughing God, and his Harlequins. It is a place of ancient history and forbidden lore, containing records of every race that has ever touched the Warp. It likely holds the only clues to the StarCraft factions' arrival in this reality. Furthermore, since the Overmind's connection to his minions is severed the moment they enter the deeper Subspace of the Webway, he needs willing, autonomous agents.
"The Black Library... that is the domain of our God. I cannot guarantee I can fulfill such a command."
"I know your history, Eldar. I have seen the heights of your ancient empire and the depths of your current decline. I have seen it all."
The Overmind unleashed a focused psionic surge. Maiel's mind was yanked across light-years, finding himself standing before a mountain of pulsing flesh and a single, god-like eye. The pressure was staggering; the Ranger felt his knees buckle.
"I do not care what methods you use. Contact the Harlequins. Find the information I seek. In exchange, I will give you what you desire most."
"And what is that?" Maiel asked instinctively.
"A Crone World."
Maiel's pupils contracted. To the Eldar, the "Crone Worlds" were the original homeworlds of their empire, named after the goddess Morai-Heg. Now, they are hellish nightmare-realms swallowed by the Eye of Terror—the only place where Waystones (Soulstones) can be harvested. These stones are the only thing protecting Eldar souls from being devoured by Slaanesh upon death.
"What exactly is it you wish to know?" Maiel asked, her pride finally crumbling.
The Overmind had given too much to refuse. He wasn't offering a mere bag of stones; he was offering an entire world, purged of Daemons, where they could reclaim their heritage.
"Everything about them!"
The Overmind projected images of the Terrans and Protoss directly into Maiel's mind. The Protoss were easy to categorize as a powerful xenos race, but the Terrans puzzled her.
"Those humans... they seem different from the ones of the Imperium."
"The biology is secondary. Look for the equipment. Look for the CMC power suits and the Gauss rifles. That is how you will know them."
"I understand," Maiel replied. "I will try."
"Haisanla will provide you with pheromones to ensure your safe passage through Swarm territory. Remember our deal: the reward is only granted once the information is delivered."
"I understand, Great Master. Thank you for this opportunity."
Maiel's consciousness was snapped back into her body. The Hive Queen approached and coated the small band of Rangers in a specialized pheromone—the scent of Zerg larvae. To any other Zerg unit, this group now smelled like "vulnerable broodlings" that required absolute protection.
Now, all that remained was to wait. The Overmind had been in this galaxy for years; he could afford to wait a little longer for his old rivals to emerge from the shadows.