Chrysalis

"How long have you got?" Advant asked, her scent distracted and her antennae wavering busily back and forth.

"Not long," replied Brendant, similarly occupied, "I'm only off shift for under an hour and I had to travel to get here."

"I also have a lot of places to be," Victor looked tired but a determined light sparkled in her eyes.

"I don't know why you don't have that much time, I usually have heaps of time. Although I suppose I do move a lot faster than you. Maybe you just need to move faster? Or talk faster? You all talk reeaaaaallly slow and it's quite annoying, you know? I'm here waiting for you to finish waaay after I've worked out what your trying to say but it would be rude to interrupt, right? Is that a monster? No… Anyway. What was I saying? Oh yeah! You're all too slow! Try being faster!"

Advant wavered in the face of the onslaught of pheromones from Vibrant before she firmed her stance and managed to process half of what her older sister had said.

"We aren't too slow, you're just too fast!" she retorted and the others each nodded their heads.

Vibrant’s evolution had only exacerbated her need for speed, and the combination of mutations and organs she had allowed her mind and reactions to keep up with her speed, which meant that quite literally she was operating on a faster pace than the rest of them.

of things," suggested Victor and the others

complete," intoned Victor, calling the semi-council meeting to order. "Obviously we don't want to make any final decisions now, but

general stepped back and gave the others space to voice their opinions. Surprisingly, it was the healer, Mendant, who stepped

point forward. There have been protocols and norms established for most basic processes, and despite our sophistication, we are still monstrous ants. The desire to expand and secure the next generation is built into us. We need to be thinking about what our priorities are going to be and how we can influence our siblings. We are

healer stepped back in place and allowed the others to digest

to be aware of everything that goes on and influence every decision. Instead, we need to place

had grown in size to the point where it was much too difficult for

narrow their focus and trust that the Colony would be able to handle itself. It had the Eldest as its guiding light after all. There

on this idea for a

be safe from those who would attack us if we have sufficient strength to defend ourselves. That means we must be aggressive in seeking that strength for ourselves. The third strata is the natural evolution of this quest. Even without our influence, there will be expeditions launched down

there?" Coolant asked, stepping forward

members present sunk into thought once more. The future of the Colony wouldn't be decided here and now, but it was an important moment nonetheless. What was the plan of action?

long minutes before

"War," she said.