Chrysalis

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Sloan asked Cobalt tentatively.

"Sure? Of course I'm sure?! Did you think I sat around here crunching numbers between my mandibles for twenty hours just for the heck of it?!"

"All right! I just wanted to check, please, keep working," the general made a tactical retreat to where several other council members were standing at a safe distance.

"Gotta be careful around the carvers right now," Wills greeted her, "they are more than a little touchy."

"Can't really say I blame them," Sloan muttered, "considering how hard they've been working, and the constant threat of being dragged off for torpor."

"That reminds me," Bella chipped in, "didn't Cobalt get dragged away yesterday?"

"She did. The moment she woke up, she was back at it," Wills confirmed.

They all fell silent as they internally paid tribute to the incredible fortitude of the carvers, the great buildings of the Colony. To face down not only an insurmountable amount of work, but the torpor police at the same time, it took more courage than most soldiers would dream of claiming.

Wills took another look at the huge steel constructs being assembled in front of them.

"Just so I get this straight in my mind," she said, "they want to drop these down and drive them into the plate that holds the city so we can run down the cables in order to assault the city?"

"That sums it up," Sloan said.

"I don't know… that doesn't seem… nuts? To any of you?"

"It's a bit extreme," Sloan agreed, "but when you think about it, there aren't really any safe ways to assault the city from up here. You either climb down the pillar, an idea that I've ruled out since our enemy is likely prepared for such an approach. Although we doubt they expect a serious assault from above at all. Or, you make your own way down. We considered creating a unit of flying soldiers or scouts to secure a landing ground for us, but the evolutionary costs are prohibitive."

said absently, still staring at the huge 'spears', "but that'll be a while off

tier five members of the Colony was slowly increasing, but there weren't many, barely more than a thousand, each and every one of which would be participating in this assault. To counterbalance that, the fact that the eldest had reached tier six had inspired

of strength that had once only belonged to the Queen was now being shared amongst

"HeythereguyshowareyouallahwhoopsIdidn'tstopfastenoughnoooooooo!!!"

storm of cursing from exhausted construction workers. When the dust

"I'mnotusedtomyspeedyetheeeeeeeeelp!" she laughed.

took a few seconds for Sloan to translate what she could smell, only then

you're trying to say when you talk that fast! You have to

legs started to flex the moment they were beneath her

speed had been absurd, then at tier six she was practically lightning. If the ants who saw her

are all of you doing? You look tired! Are you working too hard? Don't let the torpor police catch you! If you want to keep away from them, my advice is to be fast! The faster the better! Though it doesn't always help when Crin-Crin is involved, but it's better than nothing! Hey what are those huge metal things! They look amazing! Is anyone else getting a little bored standing here? I

she was gone, accelerating so fast she left an afterimage in her

know what she's capable

it to you," Wills laughed. "Best bet is you wait for the Eldest to get back. They

factors in a battle, even if they're on

her concerns aside, "having more power on our side can only

sure you double check your prescribed angles! We start

the last segment of the four giant spearheads had been slotted

She's just going to start in ten minutes?! The troops aren't in place!" Sloan scrambled away, rushing to let the

you need speed lessons

steadily at her sibling until the

my antennae crooked or

have to get your scouts into position as well? They're an integral part of the