Finally, I am on my way back to Valera.

However, the sour mood hinders me a bit from celebrating.
Liseti hasn’t said a word since she had her remaining forces form a flesh carriage and begin carrying us through the dark tunnels.
Though, it would amaze me quite a bit if we'd encounter anything else.
The worm scoured the nearby tunnels thoroughly, and after those comes, according to Liseti, only tunnels that our swarm more tightly controls.

So with this, I'm finally completely back under the swarm's protection.
Which is the exact issue I'm contemplating now.
After everything that happened, I can consider myself lucky if I’ll be allowed to leave my quarters within the next century.
And with my apparently extended lifespan, I fear that sentence may be considered mild for a Formicea princess.
As the journey is still long and I'm woefully unable to maintain this dreadful silence between the two of us for the duration of the trip, I can't help but to speak up.

 

<Uh, may I know, is Uma very mad?> (E)

 

For a moment, Liseti looks me directly in the eyes.
Complicated, intense emotions are swirling inside her pheromones.

 

<Erys, are you aware of what your capture meant to the swarm? It was one of the hardest blows to us since the swarm wars. Forget being mad, mother was furious! Though the nearby portion of our forces were immediately dispatched, as soon as Mother received word, almost every single messenger in the hive was sent out to scout the surface. Every available hunter was released to track your scent. Following a single scent trace of yours that pointed us to these realms, she sent me with all the drones we could readily muster. This here is only the slightest fraction of the armies we sent out to reclaim you. You have no idea of the lengths we have gone to make this happen.> (L)

 

Oh shit.
This was predictable, but actually hearing that my worst concerns may have come true...
This isn't good.

 

<Did, did many die?> (E)

 

I may not have spoken it directly, but foremost I'm thinking about humans, which she should've got from my pheromones.

 

<Surprisingly not. If only because Mother and Honiu deemed that they might exchange those human lives against yours if the need shall arise. At the current state, it would barely take ten activity intervals to end them all.> (L)

 

Well, then I'm glad it didn't come so far.
At least the absolute worst case hasn’t happened yet.

 

<Scruuh!/I'm sorry. I, I was careless and exposed myself too much, going right into their trap.> (E)

<Skriaak!/Your actions fell right back on me! I supported your endeavor and therefore was just as responsible when these humans captured you!> (L)

 

Ouch, she's pissed.

 

<I'm deeply sorry for the trouble I caused. But please know, I'm glad that you came. You really arrived in the nick of time. Thank you very much for your help. It would've been bad without your troops.> (E)

"We were already focusing our surveillance on this area. While the current directive was to avoid human troops so they may concentrate on their other enemy, it didn't need much imagination to surmise that an army moving into the underground system would be something that needed investigation." (L)

"You mentioned a scent trace?" (E)

 

It kinda puts me in a difficult mood that my body odor is apparently so recognizable.

 

<Yes, a princess’ alarm pheromones are quite potent, and although they are much less effective while in flight, they leave a trail on the ground for some time. It led us to what you would refer to as a 'farm'. The remains of your scent mark there were present enough.> (L)

 

The farm?
Oh my god, I hope they are fine.
I mean, if a horde of hunters arrived first this can't be good.

 

<Are those people fine? They didn’t come to harm, did they?> (E)

<You marked them. Obviously, no stray drone would harm someone under the protection of a princess without a valid reason to do so.> (L)

 

Hah, that soothes me.
I mean, I already killed their cattle.
It would weigh on my conscience if this, in addition, would've caused a hunter attack on them.

 

<Scrioku!/Those people, I kinda made them help me out. This caused quite the demerits for them. It would be nice if we could somehow return the favor.> (E)

<You mean if you could return the favor. As it was clearly your responsibility for this whole incident to happen.> (L)

 

Damn, she's really in a mood here.
Where did the Liseti go that readily offered her aid to me?
Though, considering my mistakes have apparently gotten her into trouble as well, I suppose her current state is quite understandable.

 

<Okay, yes, if I can return the favor. I mean, I killed their livestock. This could be devastating for them. They need those animals if they want to live on.> (E)

<And we need you! Something that you're choosing to ignore over and over again by taking needless risks and putting yourself in harm's way!> (L)

<I already apologized! Do you have any idea what I went through? You can believe me, I have no intention to let it ever again come so far!> (E)

<So you keep saying. Yet just a short time ago, when that human drew near, instead of backing away and allowing your guard to do their duty, you assaulted him yourself! You seem quite unable to process, in that odd head of yours, just how ruinous any harm to you would be for the hive.> (L)

<Look, I'm sorry. I'll accept whatever punishment there is in store for me. But could you please stop being like this? I already feel bad enough.> (E)

<Scrr, scruh!/I admit, I might be affected by the fact that I met my sister again.> (L)

<That I understand. Chera is really something else.> (E)

<Truly. I can't believe she didn't take a bigger escort with her. This isn't like her. After all, she's immaculate in all matters.> (L)

<Yeah, about that...> (E)

 

Is this honestly how she sees Chera?
That princess who’s hive is slowly dwindling?
Chera’s ability to hide her problems must be more impressive than I first supposed.
Should I expose her?
I mean, she tried to be accommodating, and I know that her reputation is of the greatest importance to her.
On the other side, her lie isn't really helping her or the swarm, and she acted a bit problematic towards me.

 

<Truly, it seems she simply trusted in my ability to keep the system secure. And I disappointed her on this matter. During the recent search for you, I focused too many troops on the surface and neglected to guard our own territory. To think that a terrorworm could establish itself so close to a hive. Not to forget that I was too slow in confronting our human opponents. To think that I failed again like this in front of my perfect sister.> (L)

 

Errh...
I'm seriously at a loss for words.

 

<Uh, be that as it may... I'm sure she won't hold it against you. After all, she could've as well sent a note.> (E)

<But it's the main hive's duty to maintain the major routes. It only makes sense that an establishing hive would preserve its resources. Chera must've had a reason for distributing hers as she does. She'd never act without careful consideration.> (L)

 

Oh my.
Perhaps it would be best for me to not give away Chera’s secret.
I should quickly change the topic before I let my pheromones slip.

 

<So, what about compensating the humans I forced myself upon?> (E)

<You're talking as if there'd be an issue to provide the things they require. While it's true that your brood is currently not at your free disposal but had to be distributed on the various tasks that come with maintaining the hive, it's just as true that you are free to use a partition of the entire hive’s drones for your own sake. After all, a princess' production and therefore her mental state are just as important as anything else. As I see it, a bit of the metal the humans favor so much should suffice to mitigate any damage done. That should be easily acquired if you merely assign several drones to the task. In addition, maybe a form of personal recompense should be in order.> (L)

<Personal? What do you mean?> (E)

<Simple. You killed their livestock. The way your pheromones convey the idea, it's a rather similar role to a nectar unit. Send them several of your own and they'll have a suitable replacement provided directly by you.> (L)

<Scriuuuuh!/Whoa, no! The humans can never know where nectar comes from! They'd be wholly grossed out!> (E)

<Where would lie the problem with this? If the humans don't want our nectar this only means they have no reason to be after our supply.> (L)

 

No matter how she words this, the true intent to her statement is and remains: More for me!
Damn, this princess.
Though I wouldn’t mind a bit myself at the moment.
No, don’t get distracted!

 

<Still, we can't. Sending something like this as a gift would be completely wrong!> (E)

 

What kind of mother would gift her own children as cattle to another person?

 

<Well, if they don't like it, they'd still have the metal. In any case, it wouldn't quite be a gift. There's no way we would ever offer our brood to be mistreated. No, it would be under strict conditions. Basically an offer of a steady nectar supply as long as they would properly care for them. It could make for an interesting development. In the end, the humans might show greater interest in goods that are distributed on their own, as your interaction with this 'merchant' Olira shows. If more would be distributed for a while, they should eventually show interest in how to secure a larger supply. Which will lead them to us and our conditions.> (L)

 

Did this insect I, only a few months ago, introduced to the concept of money, just now figure out a mercantile scheme by herself that would even impress Olira!?!

 

<Anyway, for now, you should carefully plan what you're going to do once we reach our destination, and how you're going to adjust your bearing in the future. Just like my elder sister would.> (L)

 

Sigh.
Wonderful.
Now I’m apparently expected to act more like that "perfect" sister.