Diyann and Daelion sat across the metal table in the strategy room in the underground base on the Northside of the planet Lamda 4.
 “Now, I’m not sure of their tactics, particularly,” said Di, leaning in closer, “but they’ve been dormant for way too long.”
 “I agree.  It’s quiet.”
 “A little  TOO quiet.”
 Dae nodded.  “A surprise attack.”
 “My thoughts exactly.”  Di hated the Omicrons.  They were giant creatures from Omega 9 with three bulbous heads and seven eyes--three on the middle head.  Four tentacles--commonly called arms--and six legs gave them an advantage that four extremeties did not.  They were a sickly greenish brown, but the worst thing was their breath.
 Oh yes, the Omicrons had horrible breath.  Their heads had no mouths; there was were small mouths on each sucker of each arm.  When they reached out and screamed that “scream of the banshee”--a bone-rattling scream which reverberated along everything, including, it seemed, air--the mouths would open and produce a smell that was similar to sulfuric acid, only much stronger.  Perhaps their saliva was made of sulfuric acid, but no one had ever bothered to live to find out.
 And, despite their size, Ommies were surprisingly swift and silent.  And, somehow, they didn’t seem to show up on radar, nor were they seen before they attacked.  It almost seemed as if they could use the One Power to become invisible, however, no Aes Sedai nor Asha’man could see any weaves.
 “Those bloody Ommies...” Dae mumbled off.
 “We need a counter-attack.  Now, we’ve got the advantage of our elevation, but that scream could level this mountain if they all joined together.”
 “Right.  We need to shoot them before they scream.”
 Di nodded in agreement.  “Ordinarily, I would say to use the One Power, but those flaming Ommies are somehow protected from the Power!”
 Dae’s look was of total shock.  “When--”
 “Three weeks ago, I think.  A young one.  Hadn’t developed its scream fully yet.  It clambored into a camp of six Asha’man.  No matter how hard they tried and how strong the weaves, none of the One Power could affect it.”
 “So we have to use the guns.”
 “Yes.”
 “And you knew this three weeks ago, Di?”
 “I just got the report this morning.  The...lateness is due to the space between us and the camp.  That was the Alpha Camp, on the Southeast side of Lamda.  The Pigeon 9 arrived last night in the south port at 2300 hours, piloted by Captain Weribas.”
 “Is it as bad there as it is here?”
 “I’m not sure.”
 Dae paused for a second and leaned back in her chair.  “Weribas, eh?  Why did he pilot a Pigeon?  Especially a rickety one like the Pigeon 9.  I would’ve thought he would’ve preferred one of the Pigeon C-class, not a Pigeon A-class.”
 “Yeah...”  Di began thinking back to her fond memories of Weribas.  L’okan Weribas was his full name, but she just called him Kan as a nick-name.  They had been friends all through their time stationed in Headquarters, where they had both been raised to their positions at the same time, though different positions.
 Headquarters was a busy place; a large, white building that resembled a tower.  It was called the White Tower by its occupants, mainly out of habit and it was also much easier than calling it “Headquarters” every time.  Or, as an even shorter way, it was just called the Tower.  The White Tower was located on planet Aran’rhoid--the technical name was Zeta 3, but Aran’rhoid was its name long before other planets had been discovered off the horizons.
 “Did he make it back?” Dae asked, breaking Di out of her happy memories.
 Di was confused for a moment, hoping Dae hadn’t been talking because she really hadn’t been paying attention.  Then she realized that Dae was asking about Weribas.  “I don’t know.  He just left today and it’ll be another three weeks back.”
 Dae nodded, a gesture that she understood.
 “Now, back to the strategy.  If the Ommies are coming from Omega 9, that would mean a direct route would lead them to land on the North Pole.”  Suddenly, Di realized why this would be the most strategic place for the Ommies to land.
 Evidentially, Dae saw it, too.  “That’s where the weapons are stored!”
 “Of COURSE!  They’re going to blast our weapons and--”  Di paused to catch her breath.  This all was just assumptions and guesswork, but the Ommies weren’t too smart when it came to battle tactics, it seemed.  They always went for the most direct route and never backed down.
 Dae loosed an exhasporated sigh.  “How much do they own?”
 Di racked her brain to remember all the places.  She opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a map of Omega and Lamda space.  “They own Omega planets 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9.  They’ve got some Lamda space, but no planets...yet.”
 “And which one’s closest to us?”
 “Well, Omega 9 is their headquarters, from what we can tell.  The One Power can’t be used in any space the Ommies have taken; it’s like a *stedding*.”
 “Is it possible--”
 “Not possible, Dae.  It’s impossible the Ommies are related to the inhabitants of Ogier planets.  Although there are similarities in the planet’s air quality and inablity to channel in their space, there is absolutely NO WAY the Ommies are related to Ogier.”
 “I wasn’t asking that.”
 Di felt like a fool.  “Sorry about jumping to conclusions.  I acted totally out of line; please forgive me.”
 Dae barked a laugh.  “I think this war’s gone to your head.  It’s OK, really.  I was wondering if it was possibly the Ogier know a way to beat something in a *stedding*.”
 “Well, I do believe it’ll come down to guns and sheilds.  But that is not the issue at the very moment.  We need to know how to defend the Lamdas.  Have any ideas?”