The Creeps

   "We can be of some assistance, you realize," said Yshtra, having regained consciousness well before now. "You can't afford to lose any more of your fellows. You need every one of them to retake your passage, but Chief Neem doesn't yet know the result of this battle. We can aid your assault." Zigny saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked to see Ilk's gagged head nodding savagely. He was instantly suspicious of the two hobgoblins. He thought they might only want to save their own necks, but he was willing to listen. Every life under his command was important to him. She spoke in perfect svirfneblin, so he knew she had heard his speech to his men and understood. The drow would only enslave the goblins if they were captured, all races were equally unimportant to the elves of N'Tel. They could help the gnomes or they could give away their attack. He had to choose quickly.
   "Bind him," said Zigny pointing to Yorbut, "then untie her. If you are lying you will suffer a painful death as you are lowered slowly into a vat of purple worm stomach acid, hobgoblin. But you will live a long life if you aid us. I promise you both." He resheathed the shortsword and cocked his crossbow, placing one of his venomous bolts in the crossbow. He distrusted them both, but knew they could save the lives of many gnomes. He hoped they spoke the truth. Yorbut was useless to them, however he could wake from his reverie at any moment and needed to be secured. Leaving him alive would help to convince the hobgoblins he would keep his word.
   "My name is Yshtra," she said under her breath as she tied the unresistant half-goblin.
   Now he had to hurry his prisoners to the main group before they gave away their presence. He took the hobgoblins through the caverns to the Door and threw the hidden switch while they stood staring at the blank wall. Yshtra moaned with pain, holding the wounds his bolts had made, as he pushed them to move faster. He could hear the soft steps of the svirfguard coming down the side tunnel as he reached the passage to his guardhouse cavern. He motioned the hobgoblins to sit and positioned himself to be seen by the advancing gnomes. Reke still marched at their head as they turned the final corner. He silently signaled them to halt and walked cautiously up to Master Zigny. Reke was startled by the sight of the two female hobgoblins unbound, armed, and sitting against the stone wall. His hands quickly rested on his picks, but stopped as Zigny motioned for him to step closer.
   "They are going up the tunnel first. They will alert the Chief to their "victory" and ask for reinforcements to round up the fleeing gnomes," said Zigny. Reke's unbelieving stare told Zigny he thought his Master foolish for believing the goblinoids could be trusted. After a moment of searching Zigny's eyes, he only looked to the ground and nodded, swallowing any protest he could have mustered.

   "They will also need a prisoner," said Zigny slowly, holding up his hand to still the protest he knew could no longer be contained. "I can't ask anyone to volunteer for that, I must go. You will lead the assault. If I am betrayed slay them all, but make these two suffer for a lifetime." As he spoke, Zigny tucked his crossbow into the folds of his cloak and handed over his pick to Reke. He took his shortsword and carefully slid it into the rear of his belt. Then clasped his Sergeant's hand and nodded to the hobgoblins to follow him, acting the part of a defeated prisoner. Reke watched him depart certain he would never see Master Zigny alive again.
   The tunnel to the guardhouse contained several defensive positions where the svirfguard could hide and attack any intruders. Inside the first curve was a hidden overhang above the tunnel and an alcove to the side with a low wall. As Zigny passed the turn he chanced a look up into the ledge and at the alcove. He could see movement in both places and figured the goblins had found the defenses. If the gnomes had attacked they would have faced many deaths, even knowledge of the kill-zones wouldn't save them from the goblin arrows and thrown knives. Zigny had to trust these evil females if he was going to save his men.
   Further down the tunnel was another overhanging ledge and more alcoves, also populated by the goblinoids. He heard more than saw these creatures, but Zigny knew they were there. The hobgoblins saw them as well, they were getting nervous. Yshtra and Ilk had drawn their weapons as the three entered the tunnel, now they held them at the ready. If their comrades suspected any treachery they would attack slaying them all easily. But if the goblins knew the fate of the tribe, they showed no sign and allowed the three through the barricades made of furniture taken from the bunkhouse and into the guardhouse.
   Cheif Neem sat on a bench pulled from the guard quarters staring at the passage to Southreach Hold and the split bodies of two kobold tunnelrats and a drow warrior. Each body lay in two pieces, one on either side of the tunnel openning. The hobgoblin chief spoke to the new arrivals without turning.
   "How did we do?" he asked seeming disinterested, "did many of the goblins survive?" Ilk answered before Yshtra could speak.
   "The Sikli are dead, as are the shard-slingers," she said flatly, without a hint of emotion. "The goblins are nearly decimated, but we were able to break the gnome lines and send them retreating toward the surface. Hurb is dead. Yorbut is leading the remaining goblins securing the warren, however we need reinforcements to finish the gnomes off. Only this one, apparently one of their leaders, were we able to capture." She reported quickly and succinctly as she always had. Yshtra open her mouth to add to the story. Again before she could utter a word, Neem held up a hand.