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together like Ant-kinden and hack at close quarters. Instead they moved swiftly, struck from range or attacked from above. The square before the Amphiophos was currently filled with repeating
crossbows, nailbows and the new snapbows, the Beetle-kinden having taken to the weapon so readily that its designer might have specially intended it for them.
    Could it be that the Wasps themselves have given us the tool we needed to defeat them?
    There were some from other kinden too, for Collegium was not too proud to turn away any who wished to help. The army would include Fly-kinden spotters and archers, and some of the pikemen were
Mantis-kinden or Spiders. There were Ants of four or five different cities amongst the ranks, all former renegades like Balkus who had given their tireless loyalty to Collegium.
    The city was now sending just under a thousand soldiers to reinforce Sarn – because if Sarn fell, then Collegium might as well surrender. It was the one point that the war council had not
bickered about. Several times that number of battle-ready troops would remain to guard the walls of the city against a surprise attack by the Wasps, or even by the Vekken. Meanwhile volunteers kept
arriving in droves for the new regiments.
    My city will be changed irrevocably by this , Stenwold reflected. Not for the better, either – we could have lived happily without this war.
    The sound of precisely marching feet came to his ears and the final part of the relief force came into view with a discipline that shamed the locals. Commander Parops had arrived, with 700
pale-skinned Tarkesh Ants to his name. This was the bulk of the Free Army of Tark, as Parops himself had named it, comprising the military strength of his currently occupied city. They were the
best-armed Ant-kinden in the world, just now: every second man of them carried a snapbow as well as a sword and shield, and many sported nailbows and crossbows as well. Their linked minds meant
that this entire force could go from weapon to weapon, in whole or in part, as the battle demanded. They would form the core of the Collegiate force, from whom the locals would take their strength
and their example.
    Parops halted his men and strode up the steps towards Stenwold.
    ‘All ready to go, War Master,’ he said, and smiled because he knew Stenwold could not abide that title.
    ‘The troop trains are waiting at the station,’ Stenwold confirmed. ‘Already loaded with supplies, canvas, even some light artillery, I’m told.’ He clapped the
Tarkesh on the shoulder. ‘I know what’s at stake for you, Commander.’
    Parops nodded soberly. ‘The Sarnesh are bound to be cursed ungrateful hosts as well, but we’re short of choices right now and my soldiers want to fight. With your permission,
I’ll begin getting them stowed on board.’
    Stenwold nodded silently and the Ant marched back to his men and began to move them out. Stenwold turned to Balkus to find him now a little distance away, kneeling down by a small figure that
was hugging him tightly. Sperra, Stenwold saw, was looking better in health than she had been before, though clearly upset that the Ant was leaving. She and Balkus had been close since their time
as agents working for Stenwold’s cause in Helleron.
    ‘You look after yourself, you oaf,’ Sperra was ordering him. ‘Don’t you dare let anything happen to you.’
    ‘What could happen to me?’ Balkus replied, trying hard to smile. ‘And if those Sarnesh give me any grief, I’ll give them double in return.’
    ‘You do that,’ she hissed fiercely, and clung to him one last time, before letting go and giving place to Stenwold.
    ‘Suppose this is it.’ Balkus grimaced.
    ‘You’ve said your other goodbyes?’ Stenwold asked.
    Balkus grinned. ‘To those that have time for it. Everyone seems to have something urgent on their minds right now.’
    ‘That’s true enough.’ Between Achaeos’ injuries and whatever emotional gauntlet Tisamon