The next few days are spent in a flurry of planning on both sides of the valley, with intermittent message drops. In the end it is decided that the most important thing is to capture the head of the mining operation, Lucius. He is often referred to in later planning as "the football". It is judged desirable to do so without implicating the empire, but the forces on hand at the mine are not quite enough, so they'll need reinforcements. Also, as much knowledge as possible at the mine should be destroyed in the process, especially the slime building (which is helpfully quite flammable).
It is decided that Sasha and Lucia will go to help Baba and Ivar, who will kidnap the football and escape with him. Lucia will set fires to cover the destruction angle, and some loud communication will be performed in Elvish. Gaius, meanwhile, will distract the notables at the castle.
Which he does by arranging a brandy tasting night. Leaf, the Elvish ambassador, also attends and brings absinthe. This degenerates into Leaf reciting an epic elvish poem on the recent war with the Empire that is quite insulting, while Gaius tries to offer commentary, mostly over the drunken bodies of their host and hostess.
Meanwhile, Sasha and Lucia sneak out over the wall, and ride to the west valley to meet the others.