Years before the events of "The Chocolate Prophecy", Horus Templar is assigned one of his most unusual clients - a Dire Mantid, straight out of the deep jungles of Jast-Madiir. The stakes are incredibly high. Horus must find some way to give the bug a fighting chance against a vengeful state that has suffered embarrassment from the Mantid Tribes for generations. But before he can mount a defense... can he even find a way to speak with his client?