Dinah waited until she and Marc were alone in their room after breakfast to say anything.  A part of her was angrier than she'd ever been in her life at the scale of the manipulation that had brought them to this point.  And another part was awed by the design and the infinite attention over the millennia it must have taken to ensure things didn't fall apart.  But, by far, the majority of her was terrified for him. 

She closed the door behind them and contemplated the set of his back.  Then she said, her voice low, "I know you've a lot on your mind all of a sudden, but would you mind holding me for a moment, or even more?"

He turned, his face, that had been hard as steel a second ago, softened. "I'm so sorry," he said and walked over to wrap her up in his arms.  He buried his head in her hair, breathing the scent in.

She molded herself to him with the ease of knowledge and practice, fitting her curves to his angles, her eyes closing in something akin to relief.  "You've nothing to apologize for, sweetheart."

"I wish I believed that. It stinks of me, you know."

"It doesn't matter," she said.  "I'm sure I helped."

"I never learn," he muttered. "Always thinking I know how the universe should function. Talk about a God complex."

"Someone has to do it," she said.  "Though in this case I'm thinking you agreed to help after the deciding how it should work was over."

"You have more faith in me than I deserve," he replied.

"I'm holding tight," she said, "to the fact that we both survive this.  Otherwise, no matter how much faith I have in you..."

"Right, well, we aren't going to survive if we don't figure out what the hell it is we're up against. I need to get some intel on our buddies up here."

"Well, since it sounds like McGee and Zaf have played this gig before, I'd start with them," Dinah said.

"Yeah, good idea."

She caressed his cheek.  "All you can do is what you can do," she said.  "After that it is what it is.  To get cliche..."

"Right. Let's go see Zaf and McGee."

They found Zaf outside helping with some chores.  McGee was looking out the window, his back to them, a cup coffee replacement in his hand.  He looked around as they came back.  "So?" he said.  "Strategic and tactical planning?"

"And intel. I wanna know everything you can tell me about them. How they think, what they want, what they believe," Marc replied, getting his own cup of fake coffee, and one for Dinah.

"Christ!  You don't want much do you?" McGee said, taking a seat.  "Think Roman Empire.  Think Alexander the Great.  Think the Goths, Visigoths, Mongrel Hordes.  Think the Soviets, the Maoists and Pol Pot.  Think colonizing Europeans of every stripe."

It was hours later when Marc had wrung everything he could think of out of McGee and Zaf and they all finally sat back as Marc worked to absorb it all and put it into the machine in his brain and come out, hopefully, with some sort of plan.

"So?" Christopher said, having joined them long ago.  "We use the laser keen power of our over-active minds, drawing juice from every source far and wide, and just blow them the hell outta orbit, right?  A piece of cake, right?"

"Mr. Subtlety," Marc replied with a shake of his head. "No. I'm thinking we use the lasers of our ships to knock out their shields and then use the lasers of our minds to zap aboard and sabotage them."

"Do we know how to do that?" Dinah asked.

"No, but if I can figure it out while I'm in there...  It's an outcome I'd like to see. Avoid the whole fight if we can." 

"Well I don't think anyone's going to argue with you on that point," Dinah said.  "Possibly a liasion with the natives would be helpful." she suggested gently, her eyes on the view beyond the window.

"I don't know," Marc said frowning. "I don't want them involved if they're after revenge."

"They're just trying to survive at this point," Christopher said.  "From what I can tell anyway."

McGee shook his head.  "Rather like Chief Joseph, 'from where the sun stands now, they will fight no more forever.'"

Marc's eyebrow rose. "I'm not quite as trusting but all right, let's see if they will help us."

"Marc," McGee said quietly, "there's less than fifty of them left alive in the whole of creation.  They just buried all their children and of their race no more will be born.  Whatever anger they had has been burned away in grief."

Marc met McGee's eyes. "I understand. Let's say I'm just not as certain as you are that if given a moment they wouldn't take it. I would."  He paused.  "But then I'm willing to try it your way."

"You misunderstand.  I'm saying leave them out of it entirely," McGee said.

"Sounds even better,"  Marc agreed.

"And V'lar?" Dinah asked.  "Is he the only other person around?"

"So far as I know, on the planet anyway.  He brought them back, on the dragons," McGee said.

"He'll help, do you think McGee? Do you know him?"

"We're...acquainted I suppose.  I spent some time talking with him last night.  I'm sure he'll help," McGee said. 

"The only other thing then is to ask Ther'lin and Aaru if they will assist,"  Marc said thoughtfully. "I'm doubtful with respect to Aaru. She has no reason to help."

"Ask Ingev to ask her," Dinah suggested.

"Okay, he doesn't either, well, other than he generally likes a fight," Marc replied. "But yeah, I'll ask. I'll ask all of them."

"Kalie has aleardy sent out a call on the dragon grapevine" Christopher said.  "With the exception of the very young and the very old or infirm, they are all coming."  he paused and then added,  "Explains a few oddities in the fossil records."

"Hmm," Marc replied. "I'm sincerely hoping we leave no parts of our friends behind."

"Cola left this morning, early, taking the news and also to send the twins to the Refuge," Christopher said, as indirect a response as could be imagined.   

Marc frowned. "I'd hoped she was planning to stay there."

Christopher shook his head.  "Anja's Snow has left too.  Kalie's not sure why and it's bothering her."  

"Interesting. I remember something from when we were on her world. Could be somehow related."

"They have their own task," Dinah said.  "According to Snow.  Did we arrange for that as well?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, my darling. Although, maybe Chris set that one up."

"We'll just have to wait and see," Christopher said.  "So, General, what are our assignments?"

"Let's wait until we have everyone assembled. And then we'll see."

Christopher nodded.  "Right.  Gives us time to check out the sights.  I've heard the night life is something not to be missed, too."

"Have fun. I know where I'll be," Marc replied with a grin.

Dinah raised a brow, looking at him, her expression hopeful.  "Twenty four hours?"

"Sounds like a plan."