Path of the Hive Queen

Unfortunately, Regina’s fears proved to be well-founded. She tried again to teach Ira how to sense other minds with her help, and again the next day. She even varied her approach and tried different things, like purely instructing her verbally or, conversely, showing her how to do it with the psychic link instead of guiding her with it at all. None of the attempts worked.

It seemed like she was right to think her drones wouldn’t be psychics. Of course, Regina was going to attempt it with other drones, as well. Ones of several Templates. She wasn’t very optimistic about their chances of success, though. Who knows, maybe I’m just sabotaging them because I think it won’t work? she mused. I won’t give up this easily, anyway. Maybe I’ll think of other ways later.

For now, she’d have to be content with these failed attempts, though. Instead, Regina was planning sessions with June, once she was back with her, and already thinking about how to approach the same thing with Janis. It might be best to consult Madris for help on this point.

Until then, she would continue her tests alone, and it would take a while until she could even get to that training. Janis was still needed in the south, considering the war was reaching another critical point.

Their forces had covered a considerably distance from the city they’d captured, and they were now holding all the intervening territory. Now, though, they were poised to take the next city. And after it, two more. Perhaps they would even proceed with the assaults on those two if their initial venture at this city failed.

Ikris-on-Plains was a major center for the Gnomish Confederation. Unfortunately, the name was also somewhat misleading; while the city was located on a plain, it touched the edge of a small mountain range to the west. Galatea had speculated it was a remnant of the Cataclysm and the rogue magic that had sometimes reshaped the landscape, given its unusual geography — little more than a thin belt of mountainous rock, a ridge cutting through the landscape, curving a bit inwards at the north and south parts, while the south was abutted by a rushing river. From the west, rolling hills climbed their way up to the mountains, while it was more of a straight slope down on the east towards the city, whose outskirts rose up towards its top, or more precisely the saddle with somewhat lower elevation in the middle of the ridge. It was the pass their attention focused on.

The gnomish army had gathered forces in more locations than just the city, but the Empire’s armies were hardly limited to one approach, either. At this point, they had a large army of tens of thousands of Swarm Drones, mostly War Drones and Winged Drones with a healthy mix of Templates and advanced Classes, supported by sapient drones of varying Classes, and a considerable number of human soldiers, as well, including several hundred Delver veterans with decently high Levels. Their corps were supplied with the experimental artillery the Hive had been producing, some of it almost in something like mass production, as well as a generous supply of explosives that could be dropped from the air.

It was, by all accounts, a fearsome force. And in terms of sheer destructive potential, perhaps the greatest that had been mustered in Central Europe in a thousand years. Unless Regina was just letting arrogance get the better of her.

Janis had returned to the main host they’d been assembling in preparation for their push and assumed command. No one seemed particularly surprised or opposed to it, despite her relative youth and her gender. Regina supposed that was just the way of things here; a nation’s army in war was led by its king, or else by a prince or some lord who’d been given command. With the Empire newly founded and all of its parts coming together, hopefully no one disputed that the empress herself was remaining in the capital. Having the crown princess in command of the army was the next best thing.

Unlike the more medieval local traditions, though, they didn’t just muster an army and send it out to face its enemies, but had a bit more structure and organization, and some central leadership. That was mostly Ben’s work, who’d stayed back from the front line. Effectively, he was heading the strategic command or general brass or whatever it was called, while Janis led the biggest army. That gave Ben the opportunity to also prepare for a possible counter-invasion of the gnomes and to prepare the defense at the Empire’s border, and other things.

The army had come to look a lot more professional than the rather cobbled-together forces they’d fielded before, including in the Cernlian civil war. Which Regina appreciated, even if she only saw it through the eyes of the Winged Drones or occasional War Drones or when Janis sent her an update with a hazy mental image through the psychic link. Regina generally preferred to use Swarm Drones instead of sapient drones if she just wanted a quick glimpse through their eyes, it was less likely to distract them when they might be doing something important, and also felt more like she was respecting their privacy. Not that drones ever really minded when she borrowed their senses.

There were several banners hanging around the camp now, which probably contributed to her impression. Most of them showed the Imperial coat-of-arms, the black eagle on yellow she’d chosen, but a few had the Hive’s silver stars on a black background. They hadn’t bothered much with that during the last war, even if they’d already had the sigil, but she supposed it might be good for morale. Together with a variety of banners from Cernlia and Nerlia, it made for a pretty sight and showed the size of the army.

Janis had been gifted a set of armor by the Nerlian princess that was reminiscent of the sigil, colored black but with gold highlights and a helmet vaguely shaped like an eagle’s head. Regina had to admit she cut an intimidating figure, even if she found it a bit weird at first, paired with Janis’ fiery hair and magic-colored eyes. Regina was planning to remind her to wear it to battle should she conveniently forget to put it on beforehand. For now, though, Janis was leading the last war council before the big day in the armor, her helmet carelessly tossed onto a stand beside a few others.

"Is everyone clear on the plan?” she asked.

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness,” Sir Willard answered formally.

“There have been a few questions about the order of battle,” Sir Owin added.

They spent the next few minutes discussing details, including who would be commanding which units where in their ideal formation, which Regina thought would have been cleared up before, but apparently not. She paid attention to their words, but she was starting to get a bit bored. At least Janis was alert, discussing the issues thoroughly and making decisions with confidence. It was going to be a slightly different battle than they’d fought before, not just considering their own army, but everyone seemed confident, almost looking forward to it.

They proceeded to the most recent scout reports, which apparently only meant that nothing had really changed. The gnomes had gathered their defenses and were pretty much just waiting for the Empire to attack. Well, perhaps a bit more than that, but their scouts hadn’t seen any obvious evidence of any ploys.

Regina was expecting it wouldn’t be quite as easy as just attacking and bombing out all their soldiers and seizing the day. That seemed like a good policy. No plan ever survives contact with the enemy and all that. Plus the gnomes had to have known it would come to this and tried to make preparations in the best ways they could.

Regina was deciding whether she should withdraw her attention from the meeting to focus on other matters when the decision was pretty much taken out of her hands. Dan had realized she was paying attention to the meeting and quickly called her attention to something. Several Winged Drones had spotted a commotion on the side of the gnomes.

A small party had set out from the city, too small to be a proper unit of reinforcements, and moving very quickly. They traveled up the main road to the pass, which was packed with fortifications and the gnomish army defending the crossing and the approach to the city. Regina’s scouts had to stay too far away to hear what was happening there, since they would have been shot down if they tried to get closer, but it didn’t take long until they continued on. Only a few people this time, riding some kind of tamed Lionit variety and a horse she heavily suspected was more than it seemed like.

They were carrying a white flag on a pole.

Regina wasted a few seconds just staring, as well as she could stare when she was looking through her drones’ senses. Then she focused on Janis, who had been informed and was starting to give out orders to prepare.

Maybe we should have a drone meet with them outside and see what they want before we let them close to our positions, she suggested.

As long as they’re far enough away from their own forces that there’s less danger, I agree.

Regina watched as the gnomes continued, with decent speed. It was a good thing the Imperial forces were still camped a significant distance away from the start of the pass. She wasn’t going to underestimate gnomish artillery. It was relatively open terrain below the mountains, open ground they were now starting to ride along. Regina paid less attention to what was happening back at the camp or with Janis, content to leave it to her, and just watched the three gnomes, trying to decipher what they were doing and what she could do in response.

Finally, after they’d just been riding without change for a bit and Gale, the drone they’d chosen to make contact, was on his way escorted by a small flock, Regina focused back on her commanders. They were still arguing, but at least they’d left the meeting room and were readying themselves. Janis was carrying her helmet and absently flexing her fingers as she hurried through the neat rows of tents and space demarcated for groups of drones.

You don’t seem happy about this, Janis observed.

I guess I can’t be, Regina replied, trying not to send too much of her own unease over the connection. It’s … it feels too soon. They shouldn’t be coming to negotiate with us yet. Are they more desperate than we thought? I feel like they’re not ready to concede yet, and if they don’t want to seriously negotiate, this could be tricky, or even dangerous.

Janis only answered with the mental equivalent of a non-committal hum. They watched in silence as Gale flew in circles above the gnomish envoys, descending slightly in front of them and closer to the hive’s forces. The gnomes were cautiously slowing down.

We might have to be careful, Janis finally replied. I wouldn’t put some sacrifice plays beyond them. If they make it so they’re not the only ones who have committed a war crime, but if both sides have murdered envoys — even if it only seems like that to outsiders — it should improve their political position with others. Especially with people just waiting for an excuse.

Regina felt a shiver crawl down her spine. I haven’t thought of that, good point, she admitted. Such a scheme probably wouldn’t hurt her side directly; their allies, like the elves, would stay strong and probably believe their denials. Anyone who would be using it was probably already badly disposed to them. But that didn’t make it harmless. She quietly called over more of the Winged Drones and set a few drones to circling from higher up, then sent others with both traditional explosives and some more experimental ones they’d developed. It was just a precaution, though, she doubted the gnomes would be this impatient even if they did have a hidden trap.

“Hey there!” Gale called down to the gnomish riders, still keeping a healthy distance. He was shouting pretty loudly as a result, but Regina knew gnomes had good senses, so they’d hear him. “What do you want?”

They finally fully pulled their rides to a stop. The horse pawed impatiently at the ground with one hoof, fixing Gale with an almost baleful look.

“We want to open discussions with your commanders!” the older male gnome called back.

Gale felt uncertain of how to proceed, and Regina focused more fully on him, giving him an impression of her own state of mind and suggesting his answer. She could sense Janis watching closely as well, along with most of the sapient drones in the army.

“Are you coming to offer terms of surrender for the city?” he asked in reply.

The gnomes exchanged a look and a few hurried words too quiet for them to hear. “No!” the previous speaker finally answered loudly. “We wish to discuss a truce! Peace negotiations!”

What do I do? Gale asked her, a bit anxiously.

Regina considered it for a moment. Tell them they can approach but wait outside the marked line, she said. We will agree to preliminary negotiations, but we will have an outline of their position and if it is completely unacceptable to us, we will not proceed to full, formal negotiations. Just stalling to delay or try to stop our advance on the city will not be tolerated.

Gale repeated what she’d told him, a bit more diplomatically coached after input from Via.

“Alright, we’ll ride there!” The gnome replied, raising a hand in a gesture whose meaning she wasn’t quite certain of. Then he spurred his beast on again, and the small diplomatic party continued on their way.

I’ll meet them myself, Janis said, firmly, as if she was trying to state it before anyone could object.

Regina tugged on her mandible, shifting on her seat back in her own body. Be careful, she said. Take at least half a dozen senior drones and knights with you, each, and we’ll prepare a lot of Swarm Drones as well.

Janis nodded, and turned to talk to the humans with her, to arrange for their small, impromptu diplomatic party. Regina could tell she wasn’t the only one frustrated at how little notice they had to prepare how to present themselves or consider their stance for any negotiations. Not that they could have proper negotiations like this.

Regina still didn’t like the entire situation. In principle, she supposed she should be happy the gnomes were willing to negotiate. And they are, she reminded herself, whatever else is going on. They can’t put that genie back in the bottle, once they open the possibility. Maybe she was being too cynical. But she still didn’t have high expectations for this getting them what they wanted.

Or the gnomes’ honesty, of course. If anyone in her hive or Imperial leadership had been inclined to believe in gnomish honor, they would’ve been cured of that a while ago.

Which was, of course, not a good starting point for any negotiations, she realized.