"Yeah. I could imagine it being appropriate in some circumstance but generally object to political entities having the power to hand it down because they will not reserve it for such corner cases."

A long time ago there was a species that had everything. Enough food, enough water, enough eco, enough space. They traveled the universe. They came to a planet where they found a different species. They did not like how this second species did things, how they went to war, what their favorite color of eco was, what they believed was right and wrong. So they decided to change all that by force without asking. Is that the sort of corner case you mean?

"...I can see that starting a war but I associate the concept of the death penalty with justice systems."

I don't understand that distinction. Is it important?

"It matters to me. If you're in a position to wield a justice system at someone you likely have the option to choose non-death penalties; wars may not have that affordance."

Because you want the minimum harm needed to stop them or because you think death is out of proportion?

"The former."

It may interest you to know that conquering this city would suffice to put an end to their use of slaves.

"Cool, I like ending slavery. I'd like to achieve that as nonviolently as possible."

I think we need to tell our leader what you've said. How can we talk to you again later?

"You could take me to your leader? I'd like to get this sorted out quick, that's why I didn't wait till I had working translation for your language."

It would be useful if you were there but we walked a long way and don't want to show you secret paths that make the trip easier.

"Suppose I demonstrate that I could find the location anyway?"

The location isn't secret, the paths are. I just don't want to walk the long way back with you. If you had an air train I'd consent to come along and tell you where to fly it.

Cam takes his coat off and spreads his wings.

Billy draws a very messy and approximate map of the area between the beach and the nest.

"Thanks! See you there."

And he takes off and flies.

It gets dark out. The green sun is just past zenith but it's a very underwhelming sun for its apparent size.

The area around the nest was once a city, and not a metal head city, but the ruins are buried under piles of dirt and scrap metal. A substantial fraction of the light comes from glowing plants lining a very uneven and winding path to the entrance. It would be extremely hard to get in on foot. Not impossible, but extremely hard. When he lands, the large spiderlike metal heads attempt to gesture that he should go through the large opening into the cave system that makes up the nest.

The nest itself is visibly alien. The ground looks as if it has veins or maybe a network of very shallow roots, and here and there opaque green domes stick out of it. There are big gaping pits, and the walkways past them have something a bit like fences made of mysterious spikes, some of which look as if they could be alive if they weren't so utterly still. A metal head whose head is bigger than Cam's entire body is waiting inside.

What a creepsome setting. Cam snaps some photos on his way in.

"Hi," he says to the giant metal head.

"I hear you want to negotiate," says the giant metal head, whose voice sounds noticeably off but isn't harder to parse than a slight accent would be, "and I am the one who would make the final decision about any peace treaty."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Cam. I'm a newcomer and a neutral party to the situation and I'd like the war to end, and I am prepared to fabulously bribe you to get it, what can we do with that?"

"I will need to provide context for this. Something I am learning about the people of this planet is the extent to which they operate as individuals. Many species do, to an extent. I am not every 'metal head'. Precursors were different people socially; one might like flying, and another calligraphy, and a third animated sculpture. But they are very similar in values; they make their children very precisely. And they share the memories of their ancestors. If the so-called Precursor Stone were to hatch, the Precursor that came forth would resume their war with us on the day of its hatching.

"I say all this because otherwise you might think it was overkill to hunt and destroy every single Precursor that has ever lived. You would not kill the infant grandchild of one who wronged you. But I will not compromise on the destruction of their species."

"Oh, that's why you want the egg. ...Why has it taken so long to hatch, does it need special conditions to do that or something?"

"It does, but ones persistently at risk of being fulfilled while it remains in their hands."

"Can it think, yet?"