The next day, Aurelian did not immediately order another large hunt.
That would have been easy, and easy decisions inside Mournveil usually became expensive later.
Instead, he had Eirenne and Lysara spend the early hours comparing the latest beast movement patterns with the half-broken probe data from the Ashring Drift.
If Auric Maw truly held a much larger beast habitat, then every species around Glasswake might only be a small part of a wider migration system.
The glass serpents, the shell-backed feeders, and the red-black tendril beasts might not be isolated groups at all.
They could be outer-ring species pushed away from richer feeding grounds.
That thought stayed with him.
If the strongest creatures remained inside Auric Maw, then Glasswake was a useful training area. If the stronger ones started moving outward, then Glasswake Watch could become the first thing in their path.
Eirenne seemed to reach the same conclusion.
"The local beast density is increasing slowly," she said during the morning briefing. "Not enough to indicate a full migration, but more than expected for a stable habitat."
Aurelian looked at the map. "Cause?"
"Unknown. It may be natural drift from Auric Maw. It may be a reaction to the outpost. It may also be the result of pressure deeper in the system."
Rhoswen leaned on the edge of the table, unusually quiet for someone staring at a map full of things to fight. "Meaning something bigger might be pushing them out?"
"Possibly," Lysara said. "Not confirmed."
Meridian crossed her arms. "I dislike all versions of that answer."
"That makes two of us," Aurelian said.
Astra studied the marked clusters near the inner shadow lane. "If we continue hunting, we should avoid thinning only the weaker groups. That could let stronger species move outward faster."
Aurelian nodded. "Controlled pressure, then. We keep them away from the outpost, gather materials, train the fleet, but avoid disturbing the deeper balance until we understand it."
Rhoswen made a face. "Even hunting has politics now."
"Everything has politics once people survive long enough," Aurelian replied.
"I hate how believable that sounds."
The target chosen for the next operation was another cluster of the red-black tendril beasts, but this time the plan was adjusted.
They would not strike the same group as before. Eirenne had identified a neighboring pack that had begun moving closer to Glasswake’s outer safe lane, and if left alone, it might soon interfere with supply routes to the outpost.
Unlike the previous group, this one had a larger central signature moving within it.
At first, the readings were unclear. Then Lysara refined the scan and confirmed that one of the beasts was far larger than the rest, roughly comparable in length to a light cruiser if its tendrils were included.
Its core energy signature was stronger than a normal Tier IV beast, though not fully within Tier V range.
A near-Tier V specimen.
That changed the tone of the briefing immediately.
Rhoswen’s eyes brightened despite herself. "So that one is important."
"Yes," Aurelian said. "Which means no heroics."
"I knew you were going to say that."
"Then I am glad you were prepared."
The near-Tier-V beast complicated the plan. If it had ranged attacks or stronger control over the pack, a simple lure could become dangerous.
If it were slow and arrogant, they could kill it under focused fire and gain rare materials. If it were smarter than expected, it might refuse to leave its territory or send smaller beasts ahead to test the route.
Aurelian did not want Lysara to take that risk alone again.
This time, Solenne would handle the first provocation with disposable drones, while Lysara remained farther back to guide the lure route.
If the large beast reacted too strongly, they would withdraw. If it pursued, the fleet would ambush it outside the inner shadow lane where the Black Crown could bring its full firepower to bear.
Rhoswen would hold the forward intercept line.
Again.
She was becoming familiar with the role, and Aurelian suspected she understood why he kept assigning it to her.
It gave her action but forced discipline. It let her hit hard without deciding the entire shape of the battle by impulse.
She did not complain this time.
That was almost worrying.
The fleet moved into position after Glasswake Watch completed its latest shield calibration.
Meridian had reinforced the outpost’s dust screens and installed two emergency shield anchors using materials recovered from the previous hunts.
They were not beautiful, but they would buy time if the beasts rushed the site while the fleet was away.
Meridian looked almost proud of them.
Rhoswen wisely did not call them shed parts.
The ambush zone was placed farther from the outpost than before, near a dark section of open space where the crystal dust thinned enough for clean firing lanes.
Solenne’s drones entered the inner shadow lane first, moving low through the dust and debris.
Lysara followed at a safer distance, using old Vhaloric scan patterns to watch the pack without alerting every creature in the region.
For several minutes, the operation was quiet.
Then Solenne’s first drone found the outer beasts.
The creatures reacted quickly, but not wildly. Several adults turned toward the drone, tendrils spreading like nets.
One lashed forward with enough speed to blur the feed, but the drone rolled away and fired a thin laser burst into the beast’s side.
The effect was immediate.
The beast twisted, dark fluid leaking from the wound, and three more turned toward the drone.
Solenne’s voice remained smooth. "Outer group engaged. Continuing provocation."
Aurelian watched the larger signature on the map. It had not moved yet.
"Don’t push too deep," he said.
"I know."
Solenne sent two more drones into the edge of the cluster. They fired in quick passes, wounding but not killing, then retreated just slowly enough to remain tempting.
The smaller beasts followed first. Then the adults began moving. The whole outer pack stirred like a dark flower opening in the dust.
The large signature still did not move.
Rhoswen muttered, "Lazy thing."
Astra replied, "Or cautious."
"Cautious is worse."
"Yes."
Solenne’s fourth drone changed that.
It slipped past the first adults and struck one of the large beast’s outer tendrils with a concentrated beam. The damage was small compared to its size, but the reaction was not.
The huge signature shifted.
The dust around it scattered.
Then it moved.
Eirenne’s display sharpened as new data flooded in. "Large specimen is active. Energy buildup detected along its forward tendril cluster."
Aurelian straightened. "Solenne, withdraw the drones now."
"Already moving."