Basil II visits the

After the battle, the chitchat:

Basil II requests an audience with the Danger Gang, which is of course granted. Thanks are exchanged for details of Bardas Phocas's death; Basil feels a bit cheated not to have struck the death blow. But blood and footprints within the Porphyry Chamber itself would seem to indicate that it was there that John Crescentius brought the pretender's head, and that BP is alive in some form, giving Basil another chance. (The Chamber, btw, turns out to be a giant seashell, growing spiky protrusions that can shoot Greek fire. Cooooool.) The patriarch of Constantinople has a word with God, who confirms the rebirth of BP, but says we wouldn't know him if we saw him, and that he is currently no threat to the Byzantine Empire. Basil is brought to the Monastery of St. Maximin to stick his hand in some dirt and get the scoop on the octopuses. He should prove a powerful ally.

Two more bits of business: after a convo with the (well-restrained) bugmen, Chrysopolis's contingent tentatively undertakes to find them a homeland (one with no people to eat, Arthropodia maybe?)--but no promises. And Eorl has a quick word with wererat ex-eunuch Narcis warning him about Ruth and Theodulf's upcoming raid on the thieves guild of Calpe.