In the pursuit of that sort of power, people will do almost anything.
The question I have, is how this conflict was managed during the ‘golden age’? The only answer that seems plausible, is that someone so powerful arose that they were able to enforce their ideals on the entire planet. If that is indeed the case, what happened to them?
It’s a shame I had too much on my plate to participate myself, but the other members of the council were more than capable of running such a simple mission. Enid’s idea to simplify the negotiation process was ingenious. It hadn’t taken her long to realise what the problem was, what exactly was causing the talks to be so painfully slow and make the natives of Rylleh so intractable. The people in charge were wastes of space.
They weren’t stupid or anything, at least, not in her opinion, they just existed in very comfortable circumstances and didn’t want to see that change. For the most part, they were born into those circumstances, inheriting their positions as descendants of those intrepid delvers who managed to gather enough wealth and power that they were able to carve out their own independent space which eventually grew into the city of Rylleh.
So how to deal with these well-to-do leeches? Simple. Under the direction of Sloan and working with Wallace on the inside, the colony abducted each and every one of them, moved them to Renewal, dropping them on the doorstep of Beyn’s church like lost lambs. While they were at it, the ants looted their mansions and broke them down to rubble, carting away the precious materials—watched by, oddly enough, the cheering masses. Generations of discontent erupted once people got wind of what was happening, and in a dramatic shift in public opinion, the colony became the champions of the people in one night.
Not to say there wasn’t unrest. You can’t simply uproot large family units unilaterally and expect everyone to be happy about it. The ructions in Rylleh were largely overshadowed by the outpouring of goodwill the colony experienced, a worthy trade.
In Renewal, the once noble class were now destitute and dependent on the support of an ant-worshipping community. It only took a day before they gave up trying to convince people to take them into the Dungeon in exchange for promised riches. The next day, they banded together to launch an expedition of their own. I’m told they made it about two hundred metres outside the town before a detachment of scouts chased them back. The next day, they took up farming.
With the talks on hold until elections could be arranged in Rylleh, a much more cheerful Enid spent her time drinking tea and chatting with myself, Corun, and Torrina, and occasionally Beyn, when we managed to stop him wandering around the tunnels.
For my part, I had to meet with the council, minus Sloan, to work out what our next steps were. We gathered once more in the somehow even more luxurious council chamber, the ant chairs now lined with soft fabrics and the table topped with a beautifully carved wooden surface instead of the rude stone we’d had before.
What the point of the fabric is, I’ve no idea. We’re ants! We have a skeletons on the outside of our bodies! Although it does mean there’s less chance the stone will scuff my Diamond Carapace…
It can stay.
63. Where the Hell are They?
As the colony expands and grows, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get the council together. The members are needed all over the place. Victoriant and Antionette have their regular egg-laying duties, which takes the bulk of their time. When they aren’t laying, they usually have a ridiculous amount of Biomass they need to consume, as well as accruing experience from the monsters the colony brings to them for last hitting. Evolving the Queens is still one of the top priorities of the colony, after all.
Needless to say, Burke and Wills have covered an unbelievable amount of territory over the last week. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them look tired, but their legs are definitely hanging a little lower as they rest on their chairs. Coordinating the scouting expeditions throughout the literally thousands of tunnels and branches in every direction must have come close to frying their brains. Turns out when your territory is largely spherical, it’s harder to manage than a nice flat piece of land.
The soldiers have all been fighting in the many, many battles of expansion taking place all throughout the second stratum as we strive to soak up as much space and resources as we possibly can before the attack begins. Chief amongst those resources are Biomass and experience. Our troops need to be fighting fit and as strong as they can get, as fast as we can get them there. Needless to say, the generals have been heavily involved in this activity. Organising the logistics of it all must have been a nightmare.
The worker classes have all been busy running support in the meantime, not to mention the constant research and development that goes on. Nest building, manufacturing, testing, experimenting, and pushing the boundaries of possibility in all areas. They are the scientists and engineers driving the colony forward. Which reminds me of something.
“I understand you had something of a breakthrough recently?” I ask Ellie and Bella, the two core shapers as they settle into their chairs.
They perk up immediately, delighted to talk about their work.
“Oh, we sure have! We’ve been testing with that core combination technique you brought back to us from the sophos, geez I’d love to meet them. Anyway, since we’ve evolved to tier four, along with many of our fellow researchers, we’ve been making a lot of headway in utilising the technique. Our first ‘folded’ pet core design was completed yesterday!”
“Oh? What did you manage to fuse?”
“A centipede and a Garralosh infant…”
Holy heck. I do NOT want to see that.
“How on Pangera did you manage to get those two to go together?”
Their antennae twitch wildly.
“It… wasn’t easy. Extensive modifications were made to both creatures before the cores were able to merge. We don’t believe the resulting creature will be useful, but it’s an important milestone!”
“Agreed… you didn’t actually reconstitute one of these did you?”
“We did not.”
Phew. Such a monstrosity should not be called into existence, even in the name of progress.
“This is really good news. Keep it up, you two! I have high hopes for you. If we can develop more powerful and useful pets, it can have a positive impact in all aspects of the colony.”
The core shapers happily salute me and prepare for the council proper to begin. I sincerely believe what I said, the sophos have shown the raw power that pets can hold. The core shapers have already proven their pets can be useful, but with time, and as their Skill Levels rise, their creations will become more and more deadly. The colony will be able to pour enough resources into those pets that they can become truly powerful.
“Alright then,” I address the gathered council members. “Where the hell are they?”
“What do you mean, eldest?” Victor asks.
“We’re expecting an invasion from multiple fronts! Where are they? Have they just given up and gone home? Are we safe? I mean, has anyone seen any sign of the golgari invading us?”