Chapter 187: Core Directive

Legiana prowled the halls of the palace as she always did. There were benefits for the cattle and prey to see her being present. Her king had decided to give her a body that naturally drew the eye. Her body came with all the “frills” as he put it. Although the silk-like extensions around her arms and neck flowed over her body like a piece of fine clothing, they were not, in fact, purely for aesthetic purposes.

In her king’s endless wisdom he has engineered these silk-like sheets to be able to harden into armour when required, they also had the nifty benefit of being able to vent excess heat. With Legiana’s hardened carapace and twin ether cores, her body gave off alot of heat while in combat. Her training sessions with Mahaila often ended with her practically glowing with heat. 

The lines between her armour plates were often left with an eerie orange glow as her internal temperature was high enough to melt steel. It's not high enough to melt mithril but indeed hot enough to burn the flesh from the bone.

As she walked past a group of nobles they gave her an uneasy gaze as she walked past. Even years on they still feared her as they should. She was no queen, she was the matriarch of the Hive. It was all but common knowledge that with but a single command, she could end this empire. She would never do such a thing of course, her loyalty to her king was not just compelled, he has proven time and time again that he was a capable ruler. 

The hive has swelled, and unlocked hidden secrets. The very same secrets that the Seraphim had tried so hard to keep buried. But for all their efforts they failed spectacularly, the loyalists of the ancient past kept a single treasure alive. 

That treasure was Malegaros, right hand to the Eternal Mother. Although Malegaros would never learn of it, Legiana herself felt he was a great asset. His mind was packed with the oh-so delicious genetic blueprints of ancient horrors.

Well, today was going to be rather interesting. Today was the day that the Hive officially received an office. Cecilia believed that with the war looming ever closer and the angels now prowling the Empire, the hive needed to up its public relations.

Legiana felt the task was both prudent and extremely tiresome. The benefits of siding with the hive should be self-evident. The first and foremost reason is that the Hive could kill anyone who turned against it. But as her king always says, “tribute does not flow from a dead race.”

Still, as Cecilia has said, humans can be… finicky, temperamental even. So she was there to oversee the opening of the new Hive Resource Centre. It was a place that allowed the common citizens to speak on any manner of minor grievances they had towards the Hive. The Faith of Unity has also offered to maintain an on-site presence to help grease the wheels of communication.

Legiana took a right turn and reached one of the many hive tunnels built right into the palace. Just as she did, a worker drone crawled out of the dark hole in the wall and went on its way. 

Legiana paused for a moment and took a look at the hallway and saw as usual that this particular hallway was deserted save for a few young beastiarians who were watching the worker drone amble past.

The older humanoids were still greatly unnerved by the Hive, but the young ones seemed far more receptive. From what the Hive is reporting, this issue was far more pronounced in Voleria and Zarima. However, the Vampires seemed to have no great reservations towards the Hive. 

Legiana calmly stepped into the rather large hole and fell straight down. There have been cases of children falling into these holes but of course, the hive was always swarming up and down the tunnels so it was a simple manner of the child being grabbed by a drone and spat back out of the hole.

There was this interesting case of a child who liked it so much that they kept doing it. Eventually, the mother found out, and she was less than pleased. She was, however, polite enough to ask the Empress to pass on her thanks to the Hive and to apologise for the trouble.

Legiana remembers the reaction from the Hive well. There was slight confusion at the thanks and a dismissive grumble before everyone went back to their duties. A small peculiarity that warranted no further consideration. 

Thanks conveyed, message received, proceed with duties. The King demands it to be so. Do not question, we live only to obey.

From there was, as much as Legiana loathes to admit it, the core limitation of the Hive. The humanoids had an innovative spirit, messy though it was, the humanoids were an excellent source of ideas. Their ideas could then be groomed and fine-tuned into something serviceable.

Legiana landed at the bottom with a calm flex of her legs, and the nearby drones all reverently parted and bowed their heads. She was after all the supreme leader until their king returned. She lacked his scope of control, but it was more than enough to handle day-to-day activities. 

Legiana calmly waved off an offer for transportation from a queen and decided to simply run. It was faster this way and she had things to do. It took merely a few minutes for her to cross the few kilometers of distance towards the Hive Resource Centre. Then with a calm leap she sprung out of the hive tunnel in the centre scaring a few of the Unity Faith adherents nearby.

The rest of the Hive just carried on as usual, they knew she was coming. In the Hive everyone knew who or when anyone was coming. The humans on the other hand took a moment to compose themselves as they stared at the Great Beast’s right hand. Though only being a bit taller than your average human, Legiana practically oozed power. 

“Where is the High Father?” Legiana asked calmly, her voice the even cold sound it always was. Her domed head also added to her mystique, with no eyes to speak of, no one really knew who or what she was looking at. A silly question of course, she was looking at everything all at once, at least everything within her 270-degree cone of vision.

“If you would follow me my… lady…” the young disciple said after some brief hesitation. This specimen was female, with weak genetics, poor bone density, slightly atrophied muscles, and some hints of malnutrition within physiology. The hints were faint but there, this one must not have been eating much a few years ago.

“Lead on.” Legiana replied curtly as she followed behind the disciple. 

Legiana flowed behind the disciple and soon met High Father Navis one of the most hated humans by the Seraphim. Not surprising for obvious reasons, but still hatred had its uses. Martyrs were very good propoganda tools, especially one as beloved as Navis. From what Legiana has heard Navis has become rather popular amongst the common folk. 

The Faith of Unity spends alot of time paving the way for the common folk to navigate the Empire’s robust but esoteric bureaucracy. The Empire’s systems worked very well but there were many in the general population too dull to fully utilise what the Empire offered.

On that note, the Faith of Unity was a useful asset. Shame they were all pacifists at the moment, with the Empire so secure there was little need for a Faith Militant. Her king has shared his plans for this and it was an interesting one. But the pre-requisite was that vast sections of the population needed to be adherents to the Faith of Unity. 

Nothing like unwarranted persecution and friction to make people pick a side. Legiana just needed to help people pick the right side…

“Ah, Matriarch, it has been a while. How goes the Great Beast?” Navis said with a graceful bow. Navis was the only one who seemed to address Legiana as her proper rank within the Hive. The rest just called her some variation of “my lady” no doubt this was due to an unease at speaking to her. There were alot of ladies but there was only one Matriarch of the Hive.

“My king is busy on a personal project. One that will secure our future.” Legiana replied cryptically and Navis just gave her a good-natured nod.

“Well that barely narrows it down, thus far, almost everything he does secures our future.” Navis replied with a smile.

Legiana had to admit, that was a good answer. Her king chose well…

“Hmm, shall we have a word?” Legiana said and Navis nodded.

The two of them headed to Legiana’s personal office in the building. Though she did not need it, Legiana had a fine wooden desk. It was as her king says, “important to keep up appearances”. So Legiana once again found herself going through the motions of indulging humanoid proclivities. In the hive rank and heirachy were self-evident, but in the world of humanoids that difference in the pecking order was shown using symbols.

The gold-inlaid desk made of the ebony wood found in Necoronas served that purpose well.

“What’s on your mind, Matriarch?” Navis said, and Legiana paused for a moment as she pondered how to begin this topic. 

“Angels.” Legaina said using their common name rather than the old name. Legiana had seen their genome, barring the high angels the Seraphim had become a withered mess. As far as Legiana was concerned the only Seraphim left had six wings. Those that had four and two were now just Angels in her mind. While the little flightless ones called the Cherubin might as well be named Mistakes.

If Legiana had her way she would sweep that genetic branch off the table. The proper solution to this would be selective breeding. But knowing what she did about the inbuilt natural decay of the humanoid genomes even that would only delay the inevitable. At least the Humans could say that they are the first and only stable humanoid strain.

“Yes, they have been giving us some trouble as of late.” Navis said with a slight bit of chagrin.

“Because you are doing well.” Legiana stated and Navis nodded with an equally slight bit of pride.

“The flock grows with each passing day. The benefits of the Hive and the wisdom of the Empress is hard to ignore. One must come to accept it eventually.” Navis said and Legiana nodded.

“I have observed that the Angels have sent a group of High Angels wearing some… interesting garbs.” Legiana said and Navis nodded again.

“Inquisitors, they are a form of Moral Police within High Heaven. I will say given their authority, they are not predisposed towards humility.” Navis said with a worried crease in his brow.

“There was an incident I believe.” Legiana said and Navis let out a small sigh in response.

“Yes with Inquisitors pushing their weight around tensions would inevitably rise. One of my flock and young man, hot blooded as the young always are got into a confrontation with an Inquisitor. The Inquisitor was only stopped from striking the young man thanks to a subtle intervention from your Hive.” Navis said.

Legiana let out a small smirk at those words. She had reviewed those memories with quite abit of amusement. The Inquistor had though to strike this young human male, if the Inquisitor did carry out the strike it is likely that the young male would have been severly injured in the best case scenario.

The Inquisitor was only stopped thanks to one of his sharper fellows when he realised every Hive creature in the vicinity had stopped to stare at them. It was a clear threat of course, land that blow and there will be blood. 

“These Inquisitors need to learn that their rules do not hold sway here.” Legiana said.

“Indeed, the Sacred Order rules in Heaven but here in the Empire, the Great Beast and the Empress hold sway.” Navis agreed.

“Do you foresee any future issues?” Legiana said lightly.

“If I said no, what would you do?” Navis asked wryly.

“I would suggest to the Empress to have you replaced.” Legiana replied bluntly.

“This will only get worse, the Seraphim are becoming more pressured. Some Divonian refugees have arrived in the Capital, and word is that the Angels are conducting raids in Divonia. As far as anyone is concerned the Divonian Empire is under Serpahim occupation. The Demons are not letting up and acting more openly as well.” Navis said, and Legiana nodded. Her own infiltrators say more or less the same thing but with more juicy details of course.

“I would assume you have a plan.” Legiana stated and Navis nodded.

“We serve the greater good, conflict with the Church of Order and the Seraphim would do no good. The immediate plan is for us to assist with the healthcare within the Empire. We plan to work more closely with the Church of Order to help provide care to those in need. 

The Church was always spread thin, but with desperation in short supply their numbers have been suffering as of late.” Navis said and Legiana couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

What pathetic organisation the Church of Order is. They got weaker when the nation got stronger. It was obviously by design, the Angels liked the sheep weak. So obviously they would design their Church to account for that scenario.

“And the specifics?” Legiana asked.

“A joint hospital in the Capital, with the population having swelled four-fold since the Empress’s coronation, the Church is struggling to keep up even as their membership falls.” Navis said.

“We will provide funds and assistance in the form of helpers. We might not be able to heal but we can help facilitate the running of the hospital.” Navis said.

“And the fact that your followers will be at the beck and call of the Church of Order within the hospital would soothe friction.” Legiana said and Navis nodded.

Clever, very clever. Yes it would make the Faith of Unity seem weak but it would also give the impression that the Faith of Unity and the Church of Order were peacefully coexisting. This would make it harder for the Angels to persecute the Faith of Unity. Afterall, they are already working together on what grounds could blatant discrimination stand?

“Very well, you will have your funds and construction drones for the hospital. I will suggest to the Empress to give you a good location. The Church will also be informed that the prime location and Imperial support hinges on mutual cooperation.” Legiana said.

“That will be most appreciated, Matriarch.” Navis replied.

“See to it then, we must keep the peace for now. It won’t last of course, the Angels will not suffer another great power.” Legiana said as she rose to her feet.

“Is there truly no other way? Could we not coexist?” Navis asked a hint of of naivity shining through. Or perhaps it is simple Humanoid idealism. Either way it was a foolish thought.

But still deception was in order, it didn’t matter what the Angels want. Legaiana knew the Great Beast would not suffer another great power either. The strong stood alone. That is the way of this world.

Peace would depend on them

Our core directive is to survive and prosper…