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!*

antennae down hard I slap the worker on the

times do I have to say

right" the workers

feel a splitting

the plans 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 for you to resolve

hatchlings look at me as if

trying for thirty minutes to get them to value their own lives, to think of own safety as something that

be like a personal failure on their part. They burn to sacrifice themselves for

value

me, all of

sets of eyes and antennae focus on

so earnest, it's quite

you wish to serve

"Of course!"

"Yes!"

day

I take it, you also wish to

"Naturally!"

the heart of

life

to the side, just chill out there.

a moment to compose

colony, can you do more

"….."

any other situation this would be ridiculous but the fact that they

the hatchlings pipes up dubiously, "we were to serve the colony for a time, and then die in dutiful service to

after you've taken Biomass and experience that could have gone to others? Are you

selfish as if throwing up vile

"Selfish?!"

"NEVER!"

I would rather

I nod sagely.

is your duty to repay the

lean closer to

better,

more workers is clearly superior to less workers. The ant logic of

the colony supposed to increase its numbers

"…"

hit them hard. Time for the final

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