Chrysalis

The ants were not aware of the age old adage from Earth "battles are won on the training ground", but they certainly knew how to throw their efforts into wholehearted preparations regardless. Not that much changed once the invasion forces had been spotted, the Colony had been working full throttle on building capacity and shoring up their defences already. It was however, undeniable that the imminent threat added a certain frisson to the air.

Perhaps the mandatory rest observers were a little less diligent, perhaps a few more workers decided to push their next torpor back a few hours, perhaps those teams training in the various expanses within the Colony's territory took a few more risks. Everyone pushed that little bit harder, trying to eke out that final edge that would help the family to survive.

As the workers, crafters and soldiers raced to complete their tasks, far to the East of the Colony, the initial skirmishes had already begun.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

"SHOT OUT!"

"Two kilometre clearance! GO! GO! GO!"

"Next team in five! Five! Keep clear of the sight lanes and watch your abdomens. I want those antennae sharp and eyes focused. I'm talking every lens!"

The last team to fire their long range acid barrage raced through the tunnels, putting a solid distance between themselves and the enemy as stealth specialist scouts kept an eye on the response from the Golgari. Most scouts took extensive range extensions in their acid setup, but not all invested in extensive acid setups like the Eldest. Those that did chose to divert Biomass investment away from more typical mutations, like improving the mandibles or carapace, and instead poured those points into becoming dedicated acid artillery.

"Did we hit?" One scout asked her sibling as they ran to the clearance zone. "I didn't even see them."

hit, with that much acid

there!" The larger scout running in front sent back to them. "You're clogging up the

ten scouts keeping to a tight formation, their heavily mutated legs whipping through the air and sending the terrain flashing past. When they finally arrived at their destination, they found dozens of teams resting in groups around the tunnel, some clearly preparing to head back

centre of it all stood an ant larger than the others, one of the

legs. We have a stash of Biomass back there, make sure you fill up, mutate if you can and get ready. When it's

the hundreds of other

asked,

you

my grip. I've let it stagnate for too long, so I'm sticking to ceilings as much as

needed higher ranks of Grip to compensate in order to be able traverse walls and roofs as they wanted. They

it going?"

or at least, unleashed

we don't really know if we are achieving anything at all. These are maximum range strikes. Most of

The whole point is try and fatigue the

"I know."

had been Frances, the healer’s idea, oddly enough. The ants had an enormous advantage, from what they'd seen, in numbers over the enemy, which meant they could afford to be profligate in their use of each ant’s energy. If ten ants were able to wear down a single Golgari, that would be

we could engage them more directly," Burke said,

If it comes down to it and we have to swarm them through the tunnel walls, we will, but until we don't have a