- Erys -

 

Finally back in the base.
I know I'm doing something good.
Negotiating peace is important, and being happy about being in a swarm base is weird, but it's hard to keep up with this noble conduct the whole day, always being on edge to avoid a diplomatic slip-up.
In the inner base, this isn't an issue since there are no humans here who could judge how well I'm keeping my act together.
Well, aside from the kids Honiu bought.
I'm still a bit bitter about this.
At least I was told that tomorrow will be the big day and we'll be going to make everything official.

Our swarm and Tarsona have agreed on certain borders to respect, as existing mines can still be utilized but past a certain depth is clearly our territory.
It's a bit vague, considering there are many places that have touching points.
Also, there'll be trade at some agreed-on positions within the land where soon-to-be established bases will act as embassies.
And I even got us access to the library.
It might've been the dire situation that's pressuring them to make concessions, but I'm convinced that the possibility to read all this knowledge can be considered a great boon for the swarm.
They fancy gathering information, otherwise, there would be no chamber of knowledge.

For now, I should see if mum is alright.
Being all day together with Honiu can't be good for one's mentality.

I ask around and the drones point me to where I have to go.
Fortunately, I find her soon enough.

 

"Ery? Should you walk around like thies? You have your 'sEssions' around this time, right?" (F)

 

I wish she wouldn't be so informed.

 

"Hey, mum. How are you?" (E))

"Honestlye? A little overworked. Iet's not only that I have to take care of Honiu. Now that other nurses can at leeast do menial work around her iet's a manageable task. But I'm also looking after thee children, which isn't so easy when Honiu is giving them mutation potions like candye! And since princEsses shouldn't be bothered I'm thee only one they come to with all thee issues so that I might deecide what is worth her attention." (F)

"Issues? What kind of issues? Kyska, why are you emitting pheromones that say as much as 'stop talking'?" (E)

 

The nurse in question gives it her all to blend with the environment as she usually does.

 

"Shee knows perfEctly well what I’m talking about. PErsonal nurses do this all the time. The most important thing is that their princess stays content. In Honiu's case, she needs a kick in thee backside to get going. In yours, you're usually overly worried and so it's bEtter to not tEll you about every little incident. At leeast that's what Kyska believes." (F)

"Which won't be as simple anymore now that she was informed." (K)

"About what was I not informed?" (E)

"Well, iet shouldn't be surprising that a bunch of giant insEcts spElls trouble." (F)

"Our presence is accompanied by several incidents. Humans regularly gather at entrance points to cause a commotion. Yet they only concentrate on those in the settlement itself and the human soldiers seem to suffice to keep them at bay. Since your primary access point is in the palace which isn't affected there was no reason to involve you since this isn't even your role. Another point might be that several humans sent invitations or requests to visit you. So many that there is no possible way for you to cover them all and they would interfere with your sessions. You're already exhausted once you return from your endeavor for your negotiation and this isn't good for your production. Any further strain on you would be unacceptable. And as you already visit their territory on your behalf and no human mentioned them I deemed them as unnecessary distractions and declined all of them." (K)

 

Okay, once again I feel as if she conspired against me.
Naturally, I worry if there are anti-Formicea protests, but I'll give it to her that there's not much to be done about this.

On the other side, those requests probably came from nobles. 
Who else would bother with such a thing?

Meeting those might increase my reputation or enable me to make connections.
Okay, it could be risky to go and visit some unknown person and most of them probably want something from me.
While I'm aware that leading official negotiations is taxing on me and I need my rest, I would at least like to know that something like this happened.

 

"Kyska, I want to know about such things. I'm not saying I'll comply with those requests, but I want to be able to decide myself about this. I am old enough to make independent decisions." (E)

<Scruh!/If this is your wish.> (K)

 

Suddenly I feel a strong and seriously annoyed presence.

 

<Why is my personal nurse not returning from a fairly simple assignment?> (H)

"What do you mean? I was talking to my mother and just learned that there were some issues I didn't know about. For example, that the city is apparently fairly riled up about our presence. Isn't this good enough of a reason?" (E)

<Those issues are my field of activity, not yours.> (H)

 

How is this her field?
I'm also a princess and won't let her push me back.

 

"I think I have as well a say in this matter." (E)

<No you don't. You may have forgotten, but Uma gave me control over her drones. While your secondary role is to communicate with the entities able to amend our cause, mine is to assure that our position is secured, properly administrated, and the safety of two princesses is guaranteed. And I had to constantly deal with this while you were occupied elsewhere.> (H)

"That's quite true, Erye. She may not make this imprEssion, but shee's diligently dealing with all problems that arise." (F)

"Honiu is?!" (E)

"Well, yEs. Most of iet she delegated, but she's arranging things with the human guards, assiegning units, and going over the things that were sEnt to us. Though the latter is mye resort." (F)

"They sent us stuff?" (E)

<An understatement. Just why are these humans sending so many useless things? Sparkling stones, set in unnatural patterns. Ores, that are all too common in our system. Dresses, when I already have one that perfectly serves its dubious purpose.> (H)

<Thies is because they usually fancy things like these. They value thEm. So by sending you this stuff thEy want to relay the message that you're so valued by them that they'd give you thee things they fancy.> (F)

 

Makes sense to me.
Gifts are in the end meant to increase one's favorability.
Though, they probably never gave them to an insect princess.
While Honiu has various interests, they're about stuff that's peculiar.
Given my latest impression of her place, she might prefer dead overworld creatures.
Yet I doubt any of the nobles made an effort to prepare one.

 

<Well, I'll agree that this "mirror" is an interesting thing. Yet loses its value once one has seen enough of oneself. There's not much greater usage since anything else I can observe well enough with my own eyes.> (H)

 

Yes... sure.
I wouldn't even have thought of her as the kind to give too much thought to her appearance.
And it's not like she has any hair to tidy up or other features, while the nurses, or my mother in this case, are the ones doing the job.

 

However, I see a general problem here.
We have now quite a lot of clutter that we can't just sell away, as it would be terribly inconsiderate.
The other side is that they'll continue to send those if nothing happens.

 

"You know, you might just tell them what you would prefer to get gifted. If they'd know you prefer certain things over others they'd shift to these." (E)

<I already mentioned that none of these things are of greater interest to me.> (H)

<Well, then think about what might interest you. The surface is vast and there's certainly something to your liking in it. Let mum tell you about it if you don't know better. Asking a human about human stuff sounds like the smart thing to do.> (E)

 

It's actually easier to convey one's thoughts in a discussion with pheromones.
There's in some way more impact to it if you say it without a chance of being vague.

 

<You might be right. It might at least pose to be a worthy distraction.> (H)

<Great, as if I'm not already fully occupied.> (F)

 

Uh, sorry mum.
She even got all these kids to look after.
Which brings me to this:

 

"On another note, what about the children? Are they still fine? All of them?" (E)

 

As a responsible person, I have to ask this, even if I dread the answer.
To my surprise, Honiu responds.

 

<More than this! They're making great progress. Coming from my first impressions I'm confident it will be possible to find a role for every single one of them. Yet it seems to be necessary to evaluate them one by one. They're all so different. One wants to be a guardian, another a nurse. Then there are their different bodily builds to take into account.> (H)

"You're already thinking about assigning them!?" (E)

 

God, they're just kids.

 

<Naturally I am, as it is my role as a princess to supply the swarm with the different roles. But you don't need to worry so much. I am well aware that those younglings are still in a growth phase I have to consider. Yet they're developing quickly. One of them even shows signs of a beginning metamorphosis. It progresses far more smoothly than predicted. So it's not farfetched that she will soon be ready. At least for simple tasks.> (H)

"Are you speaking about that girl? The one you terrified so much?" (E)

<Ah, yes. It's that one. Her throat already formed adequately and even seems to alter further. I even noticed traces of beginning internal mandible structures. The digestive system as far as I know already fully settled. She's slowly forming a chitinous armor beneath her skin, similar to yours, and first stubs of wings are sprouting.> (H)

<Screek!/She has wings!?> (E)

<Please, not so intense. Yes, they're slowly building out. It might take a while longer till anything proper forms but I am positively intrigued. She might make for a fine messenger with this setup. And if I understood it right, humans are able to reproduce by themselves. If she can still do so this will be a great boon. Oh, my little one.> (H)

 

The last part she says with almost dreamy pride.
If I had to say so, she seems to think motherly of them, as far as this applies to a broodmother.
However, I'm sure she has no idea what she's doing to that girl.
What kind of mental torture it is to slowly lose one's old body in exchange for an insect's.
It's terrifying and that it's moving steadily toward the inevitable only makes one more aware of the process.
And even worse reminding one that there's nothing to do about it.
I can barely imagine how a child of her age could deal with that.
Sigh.

 

<Kyska, you heard her. Would it be possible for you to speak to that girl? Friendly, please. Just to prepare her for what's going to happen and alleviate her worries a bit.> (E)

 

As much as I'd like to help, my next session will soon start.
Also, Kyska is the one who has the most experience with getting a human through a complete insect transformation.
Just because I experienced the same I'm not necessarily the best at soothing someone, the nervous wreck that I am.

 

<My princess, I should be present during your next session.> (K)

 

I know she's foremost thinking about me, but the girl seems more in need than I am.

 

<This won't be an issue, because I forbid it.> (H)

<You're forbidding what? Me caring for the girl whose life you destroyed?> (E)

 

Whatever was before.
Be it the receiving agent or even the throat change for pheromone emittance, this is so much worse.
There won't be a normal life for this girl if she's growing wings, or whatever is happening to her mouth.
She can't hope to ever return to something remotely normal.

 

<Yes. My brood is my brood and not your concern! I'm treating it the way I deem right without your meddling. Yet, I understand your worries. So I hereby decide to personally look for her later on. If you'd excuse me now I'll leave you to your laying.> (H)

 

And so she turns around and I'm dismissed.
This is certainly not what I had in mind, nor do I believe it will do much good for this child.

Personnel counseling by Princess Honiu...

I'm so sorry, Allie.