Krug leaned over the polished war table and stared at the infant. The newborn sat completely naked on the stone, swatting at a violet spark dancing between its tiny fingers. Pools of shifting cosmos swirled in the child's eyes.
Kronos stood on the opposite side of the table with his arms crossed over his chest plate. He watched a tendril of void magic wrap around the baby's wrist.
"It demands sustenance or a tribute." Kronos uncrossed his arms. "The wailing began five minutes ago and continues to escalate."
"I offered it nutrient paste from the bio-vats." Krug tapped a scaled finger against the table. "It rejected the alchemical slurry. The Sovereign expects this asset protected and cultivated for the Vanguard."
The infant let out a piercing shriek that rattled the weapon racks lining the armory walls. A miniature spatial rift tore open above the table to rain harmless white sparks onto the scattered maps.
