Haaaa.
“Fine. I’ll take it. Maybe I can use it on Vibrant or something.” I kick a few pebbles in irritation.
Thwack!
The queen whips an antenna sharply down on my head.
“What was that for?” I protest.
“I believe this core is precious and that you should be the one to take this opportunity,” the queen decrees.
“I might not even be able to take it, I’ve already absorbed a special core since evolving!”
Thwack!
Mercilessly she brings her antenna down again.
That stings!
“Find a way, child. You always have before, and the family has been able to survive thanks to your efforts. I believe you can utilise this resource for the best of us. Don’t waste it.”
“Yes, Mother,” I grumble.
Satisfied with my acquiescence, the queen gives me a quick pat on the head and turns her attention back to the workers who swarm over her.
“Oh! One more thing!” I call. “How long until the next wave of eggs will be ready to be laid?”
I want to know so I have some idea exactly how long I’ll have to get the first twenty in shape so they can take on the job of training the second wave. I don’t want to be stuck raising new generations of workers forever. I’ve got stuff to do!
Besides that, I have a sneaking suspicion that two hundred workers wouldn’t fit on my back.
“Tomorrow.”
“Wassat?”
“They’ll be laid tomorrow.”
“…Kay then.”
As the queen turns back to her attendants, I scurry down into my own chamber beneath the colony and bury my rare core along with the others, mind spinning furiously. She already has enough Biomass for another two hundred!
I curse myself internally. Shouldn’t have sent up all that damn food. Now I’m going to have hardly any time at all to try and get the first generation into shape. If only Tiny had eaten more…
Never thought I’d be thinking that!
Tiny and Crinis bunk themselves down in our chamber for a well-earned rest. Vibrant has already sprinted off to help the workers out whilst I was talking to the queen.
I feel as though she’s been taking a more active interest in the activities of the workers since her last evolution instead of tagging along with me all the time. This can only be a good thing in my mind. The workers could do with having a more powerful and intelligent soldier to protect them.
With the basics taken care of, I suppose I’d better head up to the village. Hopefully they haven’t managed to stuff anything up while I’ve been gone. With luck, I’ll be able to find someone to answer a few questions I have about skills.
124. Misunderstanding
If I’m going to be honest, I don’t really want to go and talk to the humans. The priest will probably be there, a crowd might form, it just feels so irritating. However, they may have information that can help me and I can’t help but feel a little responsible for them.
In some ways, it’s in much the same way a human might feel responsible for their pets. They’re a collective of individuals who need me to make sure they aren’t killing themselves as they go about their daily business. I make sure they have the basic necessities of life, security, food and water, and then I let them go about their daily business.
Much like I cared for my pet colony when I was a human. Except with the ants, I cared more if they survived.
Sighing, I make my way up out of the colony and to the top of the anthill. Diligent workers continue to patrol the tunnel, a few trails leading foragers out into the surrounding wilds, groups of ants returning with the remains of surface monsters they’d found and dispatched.
Quite a few of the remaining workforce has evolved twice, giving them the stats they need to be able to dominate the bulk of monsters up here. Since the workers always act in teams, they’ve been able to mow through the surrounding lands like a scythe through wheat, in some ways reminding me of the fearsome army ant. That species of ant is nomadic. They basically strip the area around the colony of food pretty darn quick, forcing them to move to more fertile ground or starve.
Luckily, we won’t have that problem since the Dungeon will provide all of the sustenance we need. Soon enough the new generation of workers will be in a position to farm deep into the Dungeon, right down to the Expanse without my supervision.
Then I can investigate the aphid situation and see if I can’t come up with an even better solution.
The future is bright!
Muahahahaha!
Oh… right, humans. Ugh.
My musing has distracted me long enough that I’ve arrived at the burgeoning human village without being aware of it. I’ve already been noticed, several people gathering around me, maintaining a respectful distance. The number of people builds and I’m fairly sure I saw someone run off to collect Enid, and in all likelihood, the priest as well.
As I wait, I take a little time to inspect the work that’s been done. The number of crude buildings has certainly increased significantly since I was last here, as well as the number of people. It seems as though the flow of refugees hasn’t stalled at all, perhaps it’s even growing.
A tingle of concern causes my antennae to twitch slightly.
If the monsters are rampaging farther south, then there’s a chance they’ll come here. I’ll need to make proper preparations, perhaps get some scouting done…
Arrgh!
The list of things to do just doesn’t seem to end!
Can’t Pangera just buzz off somewhere else so I can help my colony grow?
It isn’t long before Enid rushes over, accompanied by the one-armed priest. It seems she has several others in tow as well. I don’t pay them much attention and get to work forming the mind bridge, using all of my mental prowess to quickly complete the process.
[Enid,] I greet her once the complex shape has been created.
[Hello,] she sounds nervous. [How did things go in the Dungeon? Well, I presume, since you are here safe and sound.]
[It went well enough. My goals were accomplished, though the fighting was more difficult than I anticipated. My companions and I received no insignificant wounds.]
Her eyes widened.
[That’s terrible! I’m surprised there was a monster at that level of the Dungeon able to hurt you and your pets. What was it?]
I give an ant shrug with my antennae, which of course she can’t recognise.
[More of Garralosh’s offspring. I believe they have retreated from the Expanse below us however, which should make us a little safer here.]
Enid nodded, gratitude plain in her eyes.
[I thank you. The people here will be much relieved to hear of it. They have suffered at the hands of Garralosh and her children. Hearing of your victory will give them some degree of comfort. May I?] She gestured toward the crowd.
I wave one of my antennae in agreement and the aged woman turns to the nearby villagers, including the priest, to explain what I had said.
Behind her, the five or so martial looking refugees listen with attentive faces. Now that I get another look at them, they seem a little on edge. Their leader, a square-jawed, tough looking woman standing in front of the others, is giving me a serious dose of the stink eye.
I observe her without shifting my head or posture at all.
What is your beef, lady?
My thoughts are disturbed as a great cheer erupts from the villagers around me. It’s quite a strange sight to see. People start hugging and shouting with exuberance. Smiles wreath every face and the powerful voice of the priest rolls over the top of all, one hand raised to the sky as he eulogises his heart out.