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Because a <span class="mu-s">previous Supreme Ruler</span> decided to go behind the Esaal's back and profit on both sides of their last war, the <span class="mu-s">Esaal</span> have attacked to take revenge.
The “cylinders” dropped split open just before impact, each containing several long slender robotic objects. Along their lengths are bladed joints, and a strong metallic head with sensors and an AI core; possibly of Hegemonic manufacture. These weapons, which you dub “snakes”, use the kinetic force of their drop to pierce the water swiftly and find their targets.
Targeting anyone in the open first; they pierce through their bodies, preferring to pierce soft tissues first. The head continues through the target, looking to pierce through another and then another. The snakes are intelligent robotic weapons; using their numbers and speed to corral and trap anyone found outside. They aren't even trying to kill on initial impact; but instead stabbing through as many victims as they can. Swall, Migrator, even native fish; trying to wrap as many victims as possible in their bladed tangle, cutting and binding together. And once a snake runs out of length or battery power, it angles its head back into its first victim, into a rock face, or even an electrical panel in an attempt to electrocute and further trap anyone it has pierced; just to make escape that much less likely. As more and more are dropped, you realize the scale of this attack.
You'd tell the Threemind to copy this design. You could easily see a dozen of these being an extremely useful method for assasination for an aquatic species. A few hundred could wipe out an entire underwater town and clear it out. But then the Esaal drop hundreds of thousands more. You're surprised they can even carry this many; it's like the entire cargo bay of their bombing fleet is just totally dedicated to nothing but ordanance.
As the colonists scatter and go for cover; you have a moment to potentially help. What should you instruct the Threemind to do?
>Order the fabricators on the planet to begin mass-producing defensive weapons
>Send whatever ships you have available to break up the bombing fleet
>Condemn the attack and use it to gain moral superiority against the Esaal in intergalactic relations
>Make a message to the Esaal to stop the bombing in exchange for a ransom; if you actually plan to keep your word or not you can decide later!
