HP:[" the Illithid Inquisition"]

"There is no need for that." Harry assured the creature speaking the words that his inner voice suggested. "I can explain it easily to your satisfaction. This body you managed to find for me happens to be a sorcerer of not inconsiderable talent. Its arcane energies easily resonated with the latent psychic potential of my Tadpole self and so its flesh managed to fuse with my own, instantly replacing its old brain with a new Illithid one. Though now that same power tries to resist further ceremorphosis of this body, but that may yet be of some use to the empire."

Harry continued as the Ulitharid cocked its head inquisitively about that last statement. "By the way my name is-" But instead of speaking Harry instead projected a rather complex thought out from himself. It was a ferocious desire to survive, a determination to overcome and the sensation of having already withstood so very much. If Harry had to give it a name he might have chosen: The Eternal Survivor, or The Everliving One, or simply The One Who Lived. Which made Harry blink in surprise, had this new inner voice of his just assumed the title that so many wizards had already given to Harry? Did it really just psychically translate the name: The Boy Who Lived?

The Ulitharid responded by projecting its own thoughts. His was a desire to enlighten others, the determination to lead the ignorant and the sensation of controlling or commanding animals. Harry mentally labeled him Professor Trainer.

"You have a thriving colony here-" Harry said and then mentally projected Professor Trainer's name back to him. "Many powerful thralls held well and kept in line, and more than a thousand Illithids if I had to guess. I saw one of those hated Githyanki in the lower chambers being tortured. Was the wretched thing taken in a recent raid or have they been poking around the colony's borders?"

"It was taken near here." Professor Trainer confirmed but also reassured, "A scouting party, but they never even got close to us. My spies in their nearest Creche suggested they are still looking in completely the wrong area for us."

"The birth of a new Ulitharid is always such a dangerous time for a colony." Harry lamented. "So many new Illithids to be born, so many more hosts and thralls that must be taken. It draws attention that places us all at risk. Wise of you to go looking for captives on other worlds. But you really should interrogate at least some of those you take before you begin the conversion process. If I had not been born in the way I was, you would never have realized the golden opportunity that you've stumbled across."

"Explain yourself, Survivor." Professor Trainer ordered, projecting Harry's psychic name back to him. "I do not have time for this dancing about."

"The world this body comes from has no Githyanki on it." Harry explained. "The people there have no memory of the empire, no knowledge of us and even better they do not watch the borders of their plain against intrusion. This ignorance offers opportunities, and that is only the beginning. This body was part of a society of sorcerers who held themselves secret and closed off from the rest of their species. They take great pains to keep themselves hidden. In effect they are secretly in control of large parts of what passes for governments on this planet."

Professor Trainer was taken back by this. It paused for some time considering the possibilities. Harry caught what sounded like distant whispers passing back and forth in the air around him. He guessed that the Elder Brain was speaking to the being before him, discussing Harry's news. Eventually Professor Trainer spoke again.

"You think you can infiltrate and bring down this new world." The Ulitharid guessed.

"So long as this body resists Ceremorphosis I can easily resume the life it was living before you elevated it." Harry confirmed. "This boy was a local hero believe it or not. Famous for defeating some evil wizard when it was just a child. Once I complete his magical 'education' I will be guaranteed a place amongst the sorcerer's leadership. Give me a few years and I will have thralls that in turn can mind control the leaders of some sixty million people and set them to whatever work I see fit."

"Yes I see." Professor Trainer agreed with Harry's plan. "Quite a force that can be easily directed against our enemies while we process the dregs of their society for new hosts and food. The empire could rise anew from this world far away from the sight of our enemies. How many Illithids would you need to get started on your work?"

"None at first." Harry rejected.

"None?" Professor Trainer gasped in surprise. "You mean to go out amongst these inferior beings all on your own? That's suicide."

"You forget that this body belongs to a precious hero of these sorcerers." Harry explained. "They will protect and treasure me thinking they are building up a tool for their own future use. If I take any Illithids with me they will be found out and only then will the sorcerers realize there is any chance I might not be who I am. Taking anyone from this colony with me will only put me at risk. Eventually I will need help of course. But I think it will be better if I raise up new Illithids for myself from any extra tadpoles you might have available. That will have to wait until I develop some method to replicate my own creation so that my new Illithids can move freely amongst the sorcerer's society disguised as their own people until I'm ready to seize direct power."

The Ulitharid considered all this for sometime while Harry and his new inner voice held their breath in anticipation. He won't like this plan. The inner voice warned while trying to sound reassuring. It relies so much on preserving the memories of the Illithid's past lives which is normally considered a disease. But he can't deny the opportunities this offers. No Illithid can turn down a chance to raise up an empire. Plus he's already fighting with the Elder Brain over which Illithids will follow him to start a new colony one day and which will stay here. He won't want another Ulitharid fighting over the same servants so our plan to start a new colony without taking any of his Illithids has to be tempting.