"Banshees, work in pairs. Report immediately if anything happens. Nini, go to this location. Stay outside the house and monitor the people inside."
Theus sent Nini the location of the hut where the worker caught stealing soap had been confined from his mind.
"I've already sent everyone else their positions. Stay concealed and don't let the islanders discover you. If you find any suspicious entity wandering outside, restrain it immediately. If it resists, lethal force is authorized."
"If you encounter something unknown or beyond your ability to handle, wait where you are and hold your position until reinforcements arrive. The three nearest teams will provide support. Everyone else is not to move without orders."
"If you cannot defeat the enemy, retreat is permitted. Report the details promptly."
"The Symbiotic Pact connects us. For the sake of our shared home, prepare for battle."
Theus paused, then added in his mind, "I've created two channels in the Mind Link. The first follows radio silence rules—only combat-related information may be spoken there. I'll use the second to issue orders, and orders must be carried out immediately. Any questions can be asked through a private link to me, or in the previous group chat. Do not post them in either of these two channels, to prevent confusion."
"This time, we don't know who the enemy is, how they might cause destruction, or even whether an enemy exists at all. We're facing the unknown. Report anything that feels wrong to me."
All across the island, the Banshees nodded in unison. At that moment, their thoughts became one.
Theus let out a long breath.
The Symbiotic Pact and Mind Link gave him the ability to know the state of the entire battlefield. It felt even better than having modern communications back on Blue Star.
He had