Chrysalis

Chapter 262

"Ok. Let's try this again. The enemy is down there. We can see them, we are in a superior position where they cannot fight back. All of the advantages are ours. So, what are you going to do? What is your strategy?"

The twenty hatchlings and I are positioned in one of the original four farms, clinging to the ceiling out of harm's way. I lured a monster out of the towards the edge of the open space and tied it down with a gravity bolt. The poor creature is labouring on the ground beneath us, barely able to move, whilst I try to teach these hatchlings how to fight.

The particular young worker I've been trying to teach twitches a little as I focus on my attention on them fully. I'm not sure exactly why but these workers seem a little cowed by me. Perhaps it's just that I'm older and larger.

"Well, I see the monster down there."

"Right."

"I know that I have numerical superiority."

"Right!"

Maybe this time I'm getting through to them.

"I also know that we have a positional advantage here, and the ability to attack our opponent when they can't fight back."

"Yeees?"

Here we go!

"So, I will charge down to engage the enemy, forcing myself into its jaws so that by my sacrifice my fellow workers will be able to attack without being harmed!"

DAMMIT.

Immediately the rest of the hatchlings respond positively.

"Ooo, that's a good idea!"

"Curses! I should have thought of that."

"That has to be the right answer. It's flawless."

The worker who suggested it is now staring at me like a puppy waiting to be praised. Almost wiggling with joy as the praise of his fellow hatchlings rings in his ears.

Ugh. This again.

"WRONG!"

*Thwack!*

an antennae down hard I slap the worker

times do I have to say this?! You. Are. Not.

the workers

splitting headache

that you put forward are you allowed to act in a suicidal way. You should always act to minimise the loss to the colony to as great an extent as possible. It is possible

at me as if I'm speaking

which they don't die is in some way unsatisfactory. I've been trying for thirty minutes to get them to value their own lives, to think of own safety as something that

their own lives, not dying seems to be like a personal failure on their part. They burn to sacrifice themselves for the colony, to win something in the exchange and go down in a blaze of

they aren't going to value

me, all of

focus on me with laser like

earnest,

you wish to serve

"Of course!"

"Yes!"

die before this day is done for

down there. So I take it, you also wish to serve the

"Naturally!"

the heart

life

the side, just chill out there.

moment to

do more to benefit the colony, can you do

"….."

this would be ridiculous but the fact that they are thinking

the colony for a time, and then die in

after

if throwing up vile poison and the

"Selfish?!"

"NEVER!"

accused of selfishness?! I would

I nod sagely.

the colony has invested resources in you, it is

lean closer

other thing to consider. Which colony is better, one with one hundred workers,

amongst themselves for a moment before deciding that yes, more workers is clearly superior to less workers. The ant logic of strength in numbers is strong with these

to increase its numbers if you

"…"

them hard.

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