Chrysalis

Damn termites. What the hell are those ka'armodo doing over there? They seem to pop out reinforcements just as fast as we kill them. I refuse to believe they can spit out tier four and five monsters so quickly without incurring some kind of cost. After all, the Colony has been doing this for months and have honed the process to be as efficient as possible. We have an entire caste of dedicated teachers, an academy with a constantly adjusted curriculum and Queens with the most beneficial mutations for mass producing the highest quality individuals.

It's just not possible that they are better at it than we are!

And in truth, they aren't. Our enemies may be a higher tier than would normally be expected from their numbers, but their cores remain weak. The question is how the lizards managed to maintain the quality of their insect troops, or in fact raise it, whilst creating increased production to such a ludicrous degree. If they'd been able to produce these sorts of numbers from the beginning, I don't think the Mother Tree would have been able to hold out as long as she did, not while withholding the bruan'chii from assisting her.

"Eldest, welcome back."

"Good to see you, Eldest!"

"Work hard!"

"I will. Make sure you take an appropriate break though!"

to me so cheerfully a moment ago hesitate in their stride at my mention of taking a break before they continue on their way. The fear of the torpor enforcers continues to apply even here during this desperate, ongoing battle. Tired soldiers are sloppy soldiers and sloppy soldiers get their own allies

first to admit that those standards have slipped from

meeting is in here!" I see Advant calling me over with a wave of her antennae and follow her into the prepared chamber in the Colony's main staging ground. Inside I find the usual carved table - I really have to find out who makes these damn things, they are spectacular - along with each member of the council who

the Queens and tenders are not represented. For obvious reasons they have

see the mighty Queen's and powerful brood that we create. Perhaps we should even create a central academy here? No, it's far too early to be

fighting since then. Whatever the big lizards are doing back at that mountain, they've been moving quickly, ramping up the production of their proxy soldiers and making modifications to the templates within the queens to better arm the termites against

to commit to defending the Mother Tree, but any less and we run the risk of getting overrun. Fighting for the sake of someone not

the resident general. "Our biggest issue has been adjusting our defensive strategy to meet with the new reality of the foe. With the Ka'armodo involved, the termites move completely differently to how they did before. Our plan to hole up in fortresses and let the enemy dash themselves against the walls no longer can be considered. Retreating like that will just give our now smarter opponent the time and space to manoeuvre around us. Thus

"Reallywellactuallythehitnandrunissofun-funandwelovemovingreallyfastsowhenthetermitescomewechompthemandrunawaybeforeweruninandchompthemagainit'sfunnyactuallybecausetheycan'tmovefastenoughtokeepupsotheyjustlooksosillydon'tyouthink?!"

you

fast we've been able to damage the enemy and then pull back with minimal losses. So

to be succeeding then.

worse because I can feel their attention and high expectations through the Vestibule. Don't turn those shining eyes filled with respect toward me! I made you smart for the express purpose of doing all the thinking so I didn't have to,