In regards to the whirlwind of the Eliksni. What if it where a literal whirlwind. I was thinking, and it is a quick thought not really backed yet... I read a passage that describes the sky falling away. What would happen if a moon sized object hovering in the atmosphere left the planet at faster than light speeds, slower speeds even. There would be an equal and opposite reaction. The atmosphere would be torn away. The world would become inhospitable. They would be forced to flee, or die. The fallen don't seem seem to use metaphors and anything translated to English seems to be a simple dumb phrase. I think the traveler left so fast that he killed the planet. Having to battle the hive would connect for any stragglers because If the traveler was fleeing it was likely from the hive. And a side note if Rasputin shot the traveler down, he knew what would happen to the planet. Also likely why he was pushing ahead colonization schedules, to get people off world. ASAP. And I'm not say the traveler is evil by doing something like that. Based on other readings it seems like the traveler is incapable of thinking about the consequences of its actions.