DARK NEST SPOILER ALERT
(I know, most people have probably already read it... I was pretty late reading it... but might as well. )

Why in the name of crushing black holes didn't the Chiss find some better way to distribute the Killik-killing parasite? Why couldn't they launch bombs from orbit? What about just making "parasite grenades" for the infantry to use that otherwise acted like normal grenades (and were thus less conspicuous than a few giant megabombs)? Why not pack the parasite in with whatever did the defoliating?

Wouldn't there be some easier and safer way to do it than sending a couple of suspicious-looking defoliators?