Chrysalis

"Termites."

The council recoils in shock, snapping at the air, their antennae twirling violently through the air.

"That is quite uncomfortable," Coolant observes in a detached way, as if she weren't currently gnashing empty space as if it had a head she wanted to remove.

"WhataretermitesI'veneverheardofthembeforebutallofasuddenIwanttofightthingsrealbad!"

"Vibrant…"

"Sorry-sorry! Sometimes I forget. Anyway, I really want to fight something right now, why is that?"

The council all turn to look at me.

"It's not easy to explain. I had the same reaction," I tell them.

I hesitate.

How much do I want to reveal right now? If I tell the council all about termites, won't they quite reasonably want to know where I came by my knowledge? I've never explicitly explained my origins to my siblings, and I don't see why it would matter, but I feel a little awkward now that I'm on the spot. Bah! To hold information back just because I'm a little uncomfortable would be ridiculous! Ant lives are on the line here!

"Termites are a social insect, much like us. They have a Queen, possibly a king, they produce eggs which hatch into nymphs that eventually mature into workers and soldiers. They are known to eat wood which is likely why the kaarmodo decided to use them against the bruan'chii. They can even hollow out trees or logs and form their nests inside. Since the reptiles are using them as a weapon I'm sure they've done extensive modifications to the core of the Queen in order to influence the offspring and the overall species. In truth, they could be a very powerful enemy and we should be extremely cautious."

The ants gathered around the council table all nod solemnly as they consider what I've said.

"So when do we attack?" Leeroy asks.

"Dammit Leeroy!" I crash an antenna down on the carved surface of the grand circular table. "This is serious business, not your usual 'charge in recklessly' routine!"

be right this time," Sloan says, her

the normally

be serious. From you, Sloan? I feel

for my stance, Eldest, if you

I wave a leg in apology. "This whole thing has

"Right then."

the table, all our eyes focus on

"that I really hate the sound of these 'termites' and

as each of the council

SLAM.

"You can't be serious!"

you that I am serious. The very mention of these fiends

to leap into some hair-brained invasion of a stratum that is far too strong for me at the drop of a hat, but that doesn't seem like a good policy for the Colony as a whole! Am I wrong? It was only a few weeks ago that I was telling you all off for rushing into the third

raises both her forelegs in a

Slowing our rate of progress and being more deliberate with our expansion has yielded dividends already and will continue to do so into the future. When we do start to expand our holdings in the third we will be in a much better place than we were before to safely hold that which we take. We currently don't have anything like the strength required to conquer ground in the fourth, but we don't have to, right? We just have to fight against these termites. Which means all we need

go! Send me! I

there's a volunteer already,

"No problem!"

sapient races and conquer cities or worry about weird politics, we just need to protect the tree from the termites. Will we be able to destroy

get there," I fret. "Even the tree and the bruan'chii

have to send our best to have any hope of success," Advant agrees. "We commit to a defensive strategy and dig in as hard as we can. As long as we blunt the offensive and relieve the pressure from the tree, then she'll be satisfied that we've repaid her for the favour and shown solidarity to our

environment is going to be difficult to say the least and

represent the healers," Mendant says in her quiet scent. "We can't afford to lose any of you, so you need the best

and make sure our operations on the third don't stumble like they did before!" I

look

no. I'm going to the fourth, are you nuts?