They were not on the same world as the Jinn and Arahants of their deployment. The Lord General had taken the approach of 'any port in a storm' and placed them down on the nearest world, not following the wake of the singularity or even concerning himself with the paths of miasma veins.

There was no incursion to fight where they were. Just excitable locals who attempted to kill them with muskets and cannons, then fled on horseback when it became obvious just how outclassed they were. The Lord General vented his frustrations by massacring a nearby town.

Hector hung back, then retreated altogether when he saw a soldier he'd considered honorable blast a young mother into pieces in front of her children. It was a good reminder about why the other kinds viewed Xian so uncharitably. They might be mighty warriors, but more often than not they comported themselves like petty warlords who got off on crushing the weak beneath their boots. They never hesitated to punch down.

When the dust settled, all the porters were summoned and asked to perform reconnaissance to locate the rest of their task force. No one pointed out the fact that the Lord General wasn't willing to brave the primordial himself. Hector suspected he could get out of this duty if he wanted. He chose not to appeal to the Lord General's favoritism for many reasons. Firstly, Hector didn't want to associate with the beast of a man so soon after a grotesque war crime. Secondly, he couldn't stand shrinking from duty to hide behind privilege. And finally, he wanted to witness whatever strange phenomenon had frightened a Lord so badly.

The cause of the event was a matter of speculation, but Hector worried it might be the loss of Aes. If the System's speculations were accurate, though, the unempowered world he now stood upon should not exist at all once Aes finished its slow fall. So maybe this was something else.

As he entered the primordial, Hector's first impression was that the currents were far more orderly than he remembered. Usually the stochastic fluctuations within chaos felt like being hit by violent waves from every direction. For the most part they canceled each other out. What he sensed now was uneven, forming dangerous currents that threatened to drag him towards specific locations. There was something happening….

Hector spun away from the vortex he'd been approaching, escaping with a fierce effort before he could be unmade by the vast shadow he sensed. It was very similar to a human universe. Only its outline was indistinct. The whirlpool shaped like a world drew chaos towards itself.

He fought his way upstream until the pull lessened. That was enough gallivanting about for one day, so Hector returned to make his report. Most of the porters were already back, so he was able to hear of similar experiences.

"A world is being born next to us," said the woman who gave him the 'space porter' moniker.

Everyone agreed with the assessment. It was a new unempowered world, one only partially formed. The more experienced among them could sense the same resonance patterns that emanated from more familiar worlds. Language and culture and body shape and everything else that defined what it meant to be human were all there – just not solidified. That was changing, though.

The Lord General mused over the matter with the Lord Windblade.

"Have you ever heard of a new world arising from the chaos?"

"Never," said Windblade. "Could this be happening to replace worlds destroyed by the Jinn?"

After a lot of pointless speculation, everyone decided to camp for the night. Three porters had not returned and it was assumed that they never would. The new world must have gotten them. To Hector, getting close to the nascent world had felt like his transit sphere was on the verge of popping like a bubble. He didn't have to be an expert to know that would be his end.

A day later a couple of volunteers left to check out the state of the primordial. While they were gone the soldiers near Hector speculated about the future. Many of them were wondering what would happen if they were unable to travel between worlds any longer. Should they be stuck on this world, would they each rule a city-state like a god? Would their power wane over time as they were starved of resources and their soul had to drain reserves to maintain their body enhancement?

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A porter returned with good news. The new world was no longer a voracious vortex, making the primordial navigable once more. Further, the rest of the Coalition Army had been found. They were aware something had happened because Elliott's engines were stressed to the edge of failure to maintain their singularity during the incident.

A few hours later they joined the task force on the other world. Elliott remained in space at orbital velocity, uncertain his engines could be trusted to resist gravity. Gunboats had gone to work already, aggressively protecting the world from the incursion. They were no doubt extra motivated by the fact that they might not be able to leave this universe behind if they failed.

The Xian joined in on the effort, minus their leader and his retinue, who went to a conference aboard War Barge Elliott. Hector was ordered to attend, so he was able to see the frantic Jinn crew rushing about the mighty vessel. They entered a conference room and saw complex holographs displayed on every wall.

"Welcome aboard, Lord General, Lord Windblade. I am told that you believe the turbulence we experienced was the result of a new unempowered world being born."

The Lord General picked up a cookie from a plate and snapped it in half before dropping the pieces back to the table. "It is as I've told you. We have never heard of such a thing before this. My people think there must be some law of balance related to the number of worlds in existence. Destroying one births another."

Elliott wasn't buying it. "That hypothesis seems unlikely. We eliminate hundreds of worlds a year. This should have been observed long since if that was the case."

The Lord General flicked the cookie pieces onto the floor. "So you're broken? Does that mean you can't fight anymore?"

"I cannot safely maneuver against gravity. Nor can I move between universes at all. You once carried War Barge Kevin in your transit sphere. I must request the same favor to reach Terra."

"No," the Lord General said.

"I am unable to leave this world under my own power." Elliott's voice was cool, calm.

The Lord General frowned at the graphs displayed on the walls. "I will take you to Union Central. Not Terra."

"That will have to be enough. Thank you in advance for your assistance."

Everyone agreed they should end the incursion on that world before returning to Union Central. There were a few more administrative matters that Elliott spoke of, but neither Lord seemed interested. Eventually the conversation ground to a stop.

Lord Windblade took the opportunity to push the plate of cookies towards a Jinn lieutenant in the room. "Take this poop food away from us."

"Right away, sir," the lieutenant agreed.

"Some fell on the floor. Clean that up as well."

The Jinn lieutenant paused for just a moment before responding with crisp professionalism. "Consider it done, sir."

While the man was fetching one of the cookies halves, Hector bent over and retrieved the other from beneath his chair. He placed it onto the tray held by the lieutenant and turned to find the eye of every Xian upon him. It was the first time that the Lord Windblade had ever noticed Hector and the interest did not feel particularly wholesome.

"Who is this that sits in place of your adjutant, General? Shouldn't that seat belong to Perry?"

"Hector is a future leader of the Shaocheth family," the Lord General said in a tone that made clear it was none of the Lord Windblade's concern. From his perspective, Hector couldn't tell if the words were a deception or honestly believed.

"A future leader who assists servants in their cleaning? How comical."

"It comes of a military tradition," the Lord General snapped. "Cleanliness."

Windblade showed his teeth. "I will be sure to call for your infamous army the next time I find crumbs beneath a chair. Be sure to send future leaders of the family."

The Lord General clenched a hand into a fist. "If you wish to invite my army into your house, you have only to ask, Windblade. I'll be there."

After a moment, the Lord Windblade laughed. "Don't be so sensitive, General. It's unbecoming of a Lord of Amarat." The Lord stood abruptly and snapped his fingers at a nearby captain. "Show me to the hanger bay at once."

The Lord General turned his gaze upon Hector then. "When you demean yourself, you demean me. Never again cause me to lose face."

Hector swallowed and bowed his head. "Understood, Lord General."

"I will forgive your foreign manners this one time."

"Thank you, Lord General."

"Remain out of my sight until we depart for Union Central."

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