- Nabi -

Ehk, so here is Nabi.
I'm right now relaying my experiences about my mission.
So where do I begin?

I am an apprentice nurse from the newly established partition of the swarm from my broodmother Erys.
She's the absolute best.
Nice, caring, always considerate, and concerned on our behalf.
I would do absolutely everything for her.

Right now I'm on a special mission with my coworker Xana.
We are going to learn all that we can about "trading".
Our broodmother arranged that we could accompany a special person from a species called "humans", who will teach us everything we need to know about this topic.
My broodmother is so awesome for being able to arrange all of this.
She's so proficient.

But until now I only learned the basics.
Trading is basically about giving something and wanting something for this in return.
But it's actually much more complicated than this.
You need to know what the other wants and what it's worth.
Even something that is desperately needed can be worth much less than something that is more special.
All of this is because of some arbitrary rules made by humans.

Such a weird race.
Almost all of them I saw until now barely interact with me.
They almost look... afraid.
What is there to be afraid of about a nurse?
We don't even have sharp claws.
The only one I can really rely on is Xana.
And this is because she's so reliable, always professional, and knowledgeable about what to do.

<What are you doing there?> (Xana)

<Ehk, I filled my pod with my impressions like the scholar wanted me to. You know, so they can gather the information.> (Nabi)

<What would you even convey? We're barely learning anything here.> (X)

<What do you mean?> (N)

<I mean that we already spent three activity intervals here and we barely saw anything about actual trading. Not to speak about even leaving this building.> (X)

Ah, yes.
The building is quite a big complex.
I was very surprised when the tunnels suddenly ended and everything went just... wide!
But then we arrived at this place.
It's still quite bright in here, but I like it better if I don't have to look at the so-called "sky".
It makes me anxious.

However, as Xana mentioned we didn't go anywhere in all that time.
And like this, there wasn't much to see.
At most, we could carry some things around, but even that was limited, so we can't do much and be of help.
The elder nurse doesn't mind and just does as she's told, but I can understand Xana to a degree.
However...

<But Ms.Olira told us it would be dangerous outside.> (N)

<And because of this, we're always staying here. Do you think our broodmother will be satisfied if we return and can only report that we spent all our time at this place without learning anything practical? The best we did was to look at some stuff they told us to be the things they were going to sell, but that's not enough!> (X)

Uh, right.
My broodmother.
I cannot displease her.

She's the sole reason for my existence and now that she asks me for a tiny thing I'm letting her down.
Xana is right, this isn't enough!
I have to do better!

For my broodmother!
For my broodmother!
For my broodmother!
Yes!

<Then let's go!> (N)

<Let's go?> (X)

<If we want something we have to make it happen. Let's go to Olira and tell her to let us see real trading!> (N)

<I see. But what if she says no?> (X)

<Then we'll try again and again and again! Anything else would be a disgrace to our broodmother. And you know what that means!> (N)

She signs in affirmative because she knows just too well.
It means no pats!

So we leave our quarters and go to Olira's working place.
She should be here now, as I memorized the schedule.
We receive weird stares as usual and someone is blocking our way before we reach Ms. Olira.

"Hey, you! What the hell are you doing outside your quarters? What if someone sees you?" (clerk)

"Then we are seen?" (N)

"Don't give me that! You'll return this instant!" (clerk)

"No! We need to talk about our assignment with the leading human here!" (X)

Xana moves directly forward, past the human without sparing him a glance.
I follow quickly behind her.

When we stay in front of the "door", a novel concept to separate rooms, I'm growing a bit anxious.
However, there's no backing off now, so I send her a calling signal!

<Ms. Olira!> (N)

I hear a rumble, followed by weird noise coming in our direction.

"Urgh, I thought that’d be over when I got back. So it was you two. What is it?" (O)

<We want to learn about trade!> (N)

"Oh, yes. That's just what I meant. You know the rules. Use normal words if you're talking to others or no one's going to answer." (O)

Ah, right.
There was something like this.

"Wee are heere to learn about trading, so pleease let us learn about trading." (X)

For a moment she's silent, contemplating our demand.

"Don't you already have access to our storage halls and facilities?" (O)

"We don't learn from this! We want to see real trade, out there!" (N)

"Out there? Do you know what might happen if anyone sees you?" (O)

"No, because we don't learn anything!" (N)

"Sigh! It's at the moment quite dangerous. There is some animosity against your kind going around the city. People are scared, and scared people do stupid violent things. If something happens to you, how would I be able to look Erys in the eyes?" (O)

"Broodmother?" (N/X)

"Yes, your broodmother. She wants me to keep you safe. So how could I let you go to where it's dangerous?" (O)

What she says makes sense.
Our broodmother said we shall avoid bad things.
But she also wishes that we can be helpful and we won't if we don't improve.

"Still, we need to learn! Our broodmother wants this as well and she will be sad if we can't do so. We can't let her down!" (X)

Xana is right!

"Yes, we can't!" (N)

"Sigh. I have no real idea how to make this happen. Damn, I get you. Please just give me a bit of time to figure something out." (O)

"But not too long." (X)

"My, what peculiar children Erys has." (O)

I'm satisfied with this outcome.
If now something happens we can present some results.
Like this, we go back to our quarters.
I think this helped quite a bit.
At least, we might have now some opportunity to make our broodmother proud.

- Olira -

Sigh, what have I gotten myself into here?
The others are no problem.
The scholar, as disturbing a sight as he is, hasn't left his quarter even once, so there's no issue on that side.
All I need to do is make sure that he's fed.

This one elder maid is even less of a problem.
She's always perfectly still, avoids contact as long as nobody initiates it and does everything she's told.
Honestly, if not for their appearance they'd make perfect servants.
Maybe I could convince Erys to... rent them out if she's unwilling to sell them.

However, those two little ones, who I have a hard time not thinking of them as little girls, are insisting on actively doing something.
Taking those insect children out will at best be a hassle.
At worst we might all get killed in some incident with less-openminded people.

However, it was kinda a condition from their side.
In exchange, I've got all these wares on my cart for free.
They mostly act as samples, so I can initiate some agreements.
After all, people want to know what they're dealing with before ordering larger quantities and regular deliveries.
Even more so if the origin of the goods is as peculiar as here.
Which they don't have to know all the time.

However, even my established trade partners will first have to be convinced that dealing with the giant insect empire below us won't severely backfire on them.
Certainly, at least some of them believe there will be repercussions from our side for dealing with the Formiceans or that those insects will turn hostile.
Because of this, I need to prove to them the quality of the wares, for both mine and Erys' interests.

But it's clear that doing so is on me and I received a cart filled to the brim with goods for this.
This amount by itself would for some lesser merchants represent their whole economical existence.

Objectively, even considering the current shortage, what I'm spending for food and lodging for my uncommon guests doesn't even come close to the fortune I received there for free.
So the one thing they want in exchange for this is some knowledge about my craft.
And naturally, I'm going to demand a risk provision.

While I would like to keep them ignorant about prices and skills so that I can take advantage of that shortcoming, that wouldn't work out in the long run.
Eventually, they would learn the basics after enough failures and then I can forget my advantageous position.

Erys is far too trusting on that matter.
I'm sure just because I was nice to her and showed some basic courtesy this girl thinks we share a special relationship.
And this is true.
As the sole provider of all the goods from a vast, only recently discovered underworld.
Such exclusivity is hard to come by, and as long as she thinks of me as a friend, I have access to a cheap, endless supply of valuable wares I just need to bring among the people.

But this means I should avoid disappointing her.
So I can neither allow that something happens to these girls, nor that they eventually return home and report that I broke my part of the bargain by not teaching them a thing.

Damn, I'll need to figure something out.