Days of work by the gnomes turns into weeks and more. Slowly but surely, the Conduit is separated from Milara's modifications and disassembled. It's parts are tagged, catalogued, cross-referenced and documented. New diagrams are drawn with very explicit illustrations and directions for reassembling this very special and intricate artifact. They answer very few questions about their work or the Conduit itself, and only those questions asked by those who solved the puzzles are given any consideration at all.During this same period, things are relatively quiet. No sight, sound nor event attributable to Milara is noted. No passages in this chamber or the caves that link to it lead anywhere into Milara's personal domain (though he most certainly claims the whole of the Mountains of Madness at a minimum). The giants themselves are patient with all the traffic through their caves. While there are some tense moments, they honor their part of the agreement and seem much more at ease when the adventurers and the troops at their disposal consistently honor the giants' requests as well. They eventually even prove useful in keeping the path back to Bloody Gate somewhat safe and secure without the need for a large presence of troops. A few times, the impaled head of a dark elf is presented as a show of continued good faith.About three weeks into the gnomes' effort, with still a fair amount to go, the leader Ehkaheic addresses Acacea with a request. “We think Milara brought this through the underground,” he says. “Safest and quickest way back may be through the same. We need scouts...and protection when it is time to move...and perhaps messengers.”In one particular shipment of supplies, a crate arrives containing a collection of shields and rods which are distributed to the adventurers who recovered the Conduit as a token of thanks. Each device bears clear signs of gnomish design and craftsmanship.