"It is probably able to learn new information. I am not sure if it can draw inferences or feel anything. I suspect it cannot."

"And you're very confident that it would immediately - while alone and many years after the initial conflict - start attacking you all again?"

"I am not confident that it wouldn't, say, spend ten years building weapons and reproducing first."

"Ah, if they can reproduce alone that's something. So you don't actually want the egg, you want the egg to be destroyed? And the other guys want it as a power source, right, how does an egg serve as a power source..."

"Dishearteningly nondestructively! Although I suppose after enough millennia of it it might be exhausted. The egg contains a great amount of eco and energy intended for use by the newly hatched Precursor. There is... extra."

"Where does eco come from under normal circumstances?"

"From one perspective, this question is as answerable as 'where does mass come from under normal circumstances?' but I think you are asking from an engineer's perspective and that makes it easier. Often, where it appears there is no eco, the eco is simply too dispersed to be of any use - like water vapor in the air. It can condense, naturally or with assistance. Most rocky bodies have some trapped inside, as well; it has been mined both from planets and from asteroids."

"Is there enough for everyone if there were enough condensation equipment? If there were that, and also I introduced non-eco-based power for various infrastructure?"

"I am not sure it can be condensed as fast as Haven City uses it. I imagine if they stopped using it for lighting and flight and the shield wall and weaponry and medical experiments that would change. There might still be shortages of individual colors, but I expect we could solve that."

"Okay. So if the egg is destroyed and they stop hogging the eco, do you have a further quarrel?"

"They will need to stop hunting us for our skull gems; we might consider refraining from hunting them for their flesh in exchange. They will need to either allow partial terraforming of this planet or get out of the way of our space program. And there is more, but for that, you must also speak to Baron Praxis. As must I."

You might consider it, wow. "I can supply flesh, if they're really that tasty, and possibly also skull gems unless those involve eco. My understanding is they like the planet how it is, though I didn't specifically ask - what terraforming did you want to do? What's their beef with the space program?"

"It isn't tasty at all - very little that grows on this planet is. Our skull gems have many functions, but I think to the people of Haven City they are only trophies; it is possible the mere knowledge that you might be able to conjure them would suffice to destroy the market for them. To leave this place, we would need ships capable of carrying all of us to another planet, and fuel for them, and food for the journey. With the war disrupting our ability to build infrastructure or stockpile food or fuel, we are stuck here. And as for our terraforming plans, I find myself wondering if you can conjure them."

"Probably, but I don't have translation for your language yet. Do you have a planet in mind?"

"Some underwhelming candidates; we haven't pursued that while we have unfinished business here and could not leave anyway. We might be able to terraform one of the other planets in this system, or live in enclosed habitats, but we will, ah, understand if you would sooner see us leave the system entirely."

"I can supply ships and fill 'em up. I can also terraform, but I won't be available for that until things are more stably squared away. What do you need besides materiel to clear off of here?"

"We have an ongoing business relationship with someone on this planet, who owes us and is only falling farther behind on payments. We are willing to consider simply ending the relationship and having no further dealings with them, but I am not sure yet whether to offer them the chance to pay up and have us remain here doing what we were paid to do. I am leaning toward no."

"What're they paying you to do?"

"...It is secret, but I will tell you if you will demonstrate the ability to at least in principle find out for yourself. Would you be able to conjure, say, the multimedia presentation called..." something which cannot be pronounced by a human.

"Sure." Pop.

"Ah, you can. That isn't the secret, that is about our terraforming plans, but now I am convinced I am only saving you some time by telling you. We were hired to attack Haven City on a convenient schedule, by Baron Praxis."

"Wow, everything I hear about that guy makes me like him less."

"I have yet to meet anyone who feels differently. If your proposed resolution to the war involves us disappearing one day with the Precursor Stone, then he is not a concern. Otherwise, the, ah, division within Haven City will matter a great deal."

"I was thinking I'd find and destroy the Precursor Stone, rather than you wandering off with it?"

"...That might be agreeable to us. It would also be a very impressive feat."