Formicea

 

Contrary to my bad premonitions the recent time was rather uneventful.
Toris is still well off and can't wait to have his first scholar lesson, mum has apparently grown accustomed to her new job, and dad had never any concrete issues, to begin with.
My laying intervals are at the moment stable at around forty during the day and another twenty while I sleep.
Yet the numbers still vary occasionally.
And I have no idea why I'm even reporting about such an uncomfortable topic.

I was even able to assign some of my growing population of workers to equip the direct passage to Osari with glowshroom caskets.
Those are simply holes in the walls, which get filled with the agent.
On top, they place some mushrooms.
As those are growing quite quickly, there was no issue to get enough of them for planting.
So I could place them in regular intervals all along the tunnel.

Since I have no real job for my brood yet, aside from distributing them evenly spread to the different jobs in the hive, like builders, farmers, etc., Liseti proposed that I might let them patrol the area where I already have them do this brightening job.
I don't really like the idea that they might have to fight hostile underground monsters, which exist as I learned, and die, but it's not like I throw them away.
They're going as groups of dozens and so I had no real argument to refuse Liseti.
Essentially, the whole underground from here till Osari is now controlled by my drones.
I never thought my life would develop like this.

One day, suddenly a messenger comes to me.

Interestingly enough, I can tell that it's one of mine.
Not only by the scent mark, which is the strongest indicator, but also because he's still so tiny.
The wings should just recently have developed enough to enable it to fly.
Also, it looks a bit fragile.
Not like those trained soldiers I've got from Liseti.

But instead of gawking at its appearance, I should try to listen to what it has to say.

 

"Broodmother! The patrol network reports that a group of humans is on the way here." (messenger)

 

Sigh. I still can't really get used to this title.
The patrol network is interestingly enough an original Formicea invention.
Within the tunnel system groups have specially designated areas.
In case they encounter something that warrants greater intention the groups send the fastest drones in the direction of the hive.
But those only run as fast as they can till they find another group.
Then this group sends as well their quickest.
The former drone meanwhile gets a food ration and slowly returns to their own group.
Because of the direct pheromone replication and simplified messages, there's also hardly any room for falsely transmitted messages.
At least they didn't mess up "humans in tunnel" in this case.

Since I know where they'll be going to arrive I head to the main entry hall.
It's only natural that there are gathering places where more tunnels lead and which are accordingly larger.
Yet when I walk out of the main gateway of my district and stare at the large pillar I stop.
Looking behind me I see the usual escort.
Skiras is part of them, so I address him.

 

"Skiras, could you please watch out, and... prepare some safety measures? I... I'd like to try." (E)

 

The rest regarding implications and wishes I convey with pheromones.

 

"ImmeediatElye, mye priencEss!" (Sk)

"SCREAK!"

 

This sound was mostly a pheromone signal.
It conveys no concrete meaning but is rather a loud shout to gather attention and call others.
It could be translated as "assemble" or "attention" or "take position", something like this.
A moment later messengers step forward from the escort and line up at the edge of the great cave with the pillar.
Not only there, but everywhere at the all-encompassing walls of the hive I spot the familiar shine of winged insects.
I step as well forward and am now really close to the far too deep abyss.
I gulp thinking that this might be a very bad idea.
But there are already so many preparations going on that I can't really step back now.

Here goes nothing!
I close my eyes, clear my mind... and jump.

Naturally, that's no attempt to kill me.
The moment I feel the sensation of falling I start flapping with my wings.
I continued my flight training and am now a bit more secure.
The most important thing is not the flapping, but maintaining my balance and keeping my head up.
Just when my wings are adjusted in the right way I can pull myself upwards.
However, though I know in theory what I have to do the fear I feel from jumping off a cliff is severely impeding my concentration.
That and also the flapping of hundreds of messengers around me.
I know they're only there to catch me in case I can't make it, but being in the middle of an insect swarm isn't too soothing.

Nonetheless, even with all the distractions around me, after the first two floors, I'm already managing to slow my fall.
It's still difficult, but the longer I have to gather my thoughts after the jump the more I can gain control of what happens.
At around the eighth or ninth floor down I can completely stop myself from descending any deeper.

 

"PriencEss, you're doing veery wEll." (Sk)

<Sciiiek!/Not now! I need to concentrate!> (E)

 

Sorry, but this is really hard to keep up.
Below me is still a certain death distance to the ground if I'd fall.
Even if I'd never make it to the ground with all the other flyers ready to give their life to save me.

While trying to ignore all the troubling stuff I need to find out where exactly I have to go, or rather fly.
The hall I'm looking for is somewhere below my district and above the ground level.
But since the hive is labyrinthian and my sense of direction is totally off at the moment while I'm trying hard not to think about death by crashing into the ground I do the sensible thing and ask for the way.

 

<Squeak!/Sk-Skiras, where is the entry hall?> (E)

 

Yes, okay.
My pronunciation is a bit affected by my current situation.

 

<Scraak!/Three more stories down and fifty meters to the right!> (Sk)

 

He's not really saying the distance, but his shout gave me a general sense of it.
One of the reasons why I decided to do this now, was that I knew I just had to decent.
Like this, it's just about not falling too fast, with a bit of direction.
The direction is actually tricky.
I have to adjust my body to lead the flapping in the right direction while adjusting the output so I won't fall.
But after countless crashes in my courtyard, I got it somewhat right by now.
After all, there is more space for slight mistakes here and I can move in the general direction I want to.

Eventually, I see it.
The same large hall where we arrived when I returned with my family.
While I would like to perform a good landing, Skiras decides that I'm too unbalanced at the last meters.
So instead, a half dozen of messengers grabs my body, and in a cushioned ball of insects, I'm carefully placed on the ground.
The moment I feel the ground under my feet extreme relief overcomes me.
I can finally ease up.

Fortunately, I just had my laying, so there's no corresponding reaction.
Which was one more reason for doing this now.
Also, after the messengers let go of me I need to move my wings for a bit.
My back muscles feel strained and I have to get those big things somewhat right.
However, for things like this I have Kyska.
And she has wings as well.

 

"This was utterly reckless, my princess! Small steps. Small steps. Not directly going from in cave training to this!" (K)

 

She continues to scold me while massaging and arranging the wings.
I need to say, I can barely hear her as comfortable this feels.
In the end, this saved me around twenty minutes of walking.
While I don't think this is going to be my primary way of movement I can't deny the advantages.

After this, I wait for the arrival of the announced humans.
And finally, they come into view.
And it's a carriage full of crates.
It's Olira's first delivery!

The coacher looks kinda troubled.
Which isn't too strange considering that he had to pass still considerably dark tunnels, where ever so often groups of dozens of giant insects come into view.
The horses in front of the carriage also seem to be agitated.
I guess I should approach to decrease the tension a bit.

 

"Ehk, hello good man." (E)

"Wh-, who are you." (coacher)

 

Not sure if he's apprehensive of me or of the giant escort of insects behind me.

 

"Eh, well, I'm Erys. You're kinda in my realm here." (E)

 

At least the tunnels from here to Osari are basically under my control at the moment.
I don't really know how this applies to the hive here, but I doubt that anyone of my escort will say something against this.

 

"You are... what?" (coacher)

 

"Ehk, it isn't important. I'm just kinda your contact here. Just to say so, you don't need to worry that anything might happen. It's completely safe here." (E)

"So you're saying... Ahem, I'm here to bring a delivery from Olira. I shall say that she went to great lengths to make all the necessary arrangements for this one and expects corresponding returns." (coacher)

"S-sure. Just let me take a look first." (E)

 

Together with Liseti, we agreed on certain amounts we would exchange our goods for.
So it should be possible to determine how much I have to give her in return.

A casual look into the carriage shows different sorts of fabric, some large crates, and even several popular games.
The latter I guess because she noticed that we're lacking in terms of entertainment down here.
I need to say this is quite considerate of her.
As long she won't ask for the tripled price or something like this.
There's even food, which I'm quite glad for, as albeit I don't need it, I like some variety.

When I open the first crate I find various mining tools.
I guess she really wants us to get this mining operation going.
Not only for obtaining the black iron but also for the much more valuable adamantite.
The quality seems somewhat decent.
For now, I'm satisfied.

 

"This looks all good. We'll inspect the rest and then prepare our delivery for your return. Soon you'll be good to go. Please, be our guest until then." (E)

 

I doubt he appreciates my hospitality very much, but it's not like he has much of a choice.
But as he's clearly uncomfortable I'll give it my all to finish this quickly.
And it proceeds quite fast.
My workers are extraordinarily effective at unloading the carriage and bringing it to prearranged storage caves.
There, nurses, messengers, or even scholars will look through them to check if everything's fine with the delivery.
I don't expect anything from this step, as none of them has any expertise on that matter.
But there's no harm in doing all we can.

At the same time, we begin with gathering everything for our corresponding delivery.
The essentials we've decided during the recent negotiations on everything Olira might want. 
She was especially interested in nectar, the mushroom, and simply food-related stuff, as this sells best during a shortage.
But she also wanted exotic stuff and other things one can simply only get down here.
I don't know too much about this, but I believe the prepared delivery will satisfy her as grand it is. It should certainly be worth it on her side.

Naturally, it doesn't take long till the more or less mundane items on the carriage are replaced with our stuff.

 

"So, I guess this should do it. I hope Olira will be satisfied." (E)

 

The man isn't directly answering me, but while he's slowly driving away I hear him mumbling.

 

"This woman would truly do everything for a profit." (coacher)

 

Well, that might be.
At least I can't deny that this interaction might look strange from the outside.
But now we can get to the fun part and go about putting the received stuff to use.
I walk back to my place.
Yes, walking. I've had enough of looming abysses for the day.
The delivery will be eventually brought to my courtyard, so there's nothing left for me to care about.
I spend the rest of the day as leisurely as one can when they have to squeeze out eggs once a day.
It ends with a family dinner, which I anticipated as it's the best moment to bring the good news.

 

"So Erye, how was your dAy?" (F)

 

I more or less insist on talking human at the table, so that mum gets the bitterly needed practice.

 

"Actually, we've got today a delivery from Olira. Some convenient things like fabric and such." (E)

"REallye? Those are grEat news." (F)

 

She seems to be really excited about this, despite not even knowing what we've got.
It could be completely unrelated stuff.

 

"There was more than that. That might have been a personal courtesy from Olira's side but she sent us some games." (E)

 

Which she's certainly going to charge fully.

 

"Gaemes? Of what kiend?" (F)

"Well, I just had a brief look at them. Some card games, several I couldn't recognize, and one version of kingmaker." (E)

"Oh, kiengmAkeer? Ie was once reeally good! Wee should all plAy!" (F)

"I don't know how to play this game." (T)

<Screak!/Don't worry, I'll teach you.> (F)

 

That mum spoke this way was intentional.
It might be that pheromones could help to teach something like this.
At least it might be convenient to directly send the picture of how the figures can move to his head.
Seems like we're going to have a game night or whatever time of the day it is.
If it's like this I should arrange something.

 

"Kyska, call Suki. You two are naturally playing with us." (E)

"If you wish so, my princess." (K)

 

No one objects, so it should be fine.

 

"Ah, now that you say it, Ie would like to taeke one set of cards with me to Honiu. She's always so bored, so thiez might hElp her on that matter." (F)

 

If mum thinks so.
I still find it weird how she's getting along with her.
But on the other hand, it might make her assignment a bit nicer, so I won't say anything against this.