Chrysalis

The Queen was in her chamber much the same as she had been over a day ago, covered in workers and resting peacefully. She hasn't had any reason to go out and fight lately so I hope she's enjoying a period of relaxation.

Considering the measly supply of Biomass that the workers have been extracting from the surface there hasn't even been much laying to do. I'm not sure if Queen ants can get bored but perhaps she might be feeling that things have become a little dull?

[Bored?] she responds when I ask her, sounding for all the world like she didn't even understand the word, [why would I be bored?]

[Well, there isn't much to do at the moment?]

[Foolish child] she chides me, [the colony is not under threat and you have provided food and a great hope for our family. I am content, as we should all be]

How is this giant ant monster always so positive?! Such a good mother!

Before I can get too emotional I need to focus on the present.

[So you've received the Biomass we sent up?]

[Yes. The children have been working as hard as they can. They found it and brought it to me]

[awesome]

I stare hard at the Queen for a moment, trying to judge whether she's upgraded herself as we discussed. Rather than accuse my own my own mother of lying, which would be rather tactless, I try a different angle.

[Is it ok if I check on your core? There may be more that I can do to improve our chances]

[of course child]

She answers without hesitation. I seriously doubt that she's even capable of doubting her own children. I wonder if all the ant Queens are like this?

to handle the flood of information that nearly knocks me off my six feet. Okok. Here we go then. Ah, this is

the information I want and check in on the Queen's mutation advancements. Oh ho! I would not have been surprised if she had neglected my advice in order to produce more young. I believe that she considers producing young as her primary responsibility and the best way to serve the family as a whole, so it's only natural that she

the upgrades to the three egg production organs than she

organ to produce more

process utilises less deconstructed mass to encode

Gives a bonus +2 to all stats for each egg

Fantastic!

exactly the sort of thing I spoke to the Queen about. After studying the organs carefully,

year once the colony gets rolling. My dream scenario would have the Queen producing about

to make my mind boggle! That's a huge deal! The ants will be so weak that +2 to their physical stats is going to be significant enough but +2 to the mental

would be needed to create one as opposed to a hatchling worker, I would guess that for each Croca Beast that was hatched would be able to make eight

fact… I can make use of

adjustments, bending my mind to its limits to enforce them. I trim down on the

is that the ants will be produced more cheaply than before but still be a little stronger in the end. Win-win! However there is a

my mind from the Queen's core I immediately congratulate her

mutation advancements are fantastic! The two efficiency upgrades will mean more workers and the +2 to

to be praised in this way. [Are we ready to lay the first generation of new workers?

Hold on

growing the colony and the promises I've made about the next generation are clearly exciting for her but she needs to

way! Not yet!] I say

she is genuinely disappointed.

to get that egg production gland to +10 for sure. If it's possible to get another +2 to all stats to stack with the

is silent for a moment. I can

brought up a huge feast from below, it'll surely get you to +10! I'll make sure

child] she