Chrysalis

[I thank you for your cooperation.]

[To you as well. I hope that your research is of some use to the Colony.]

[I wish the same. If you wish to view our published work, you can find it in the pheromone library. There are copies in every major nest.]

[Wonderful. I will read with interest.]

Torrina placed her pen away and shut the book in front of her as the interviewee, a tier six mage, amongst the first, turned and walked out of the room. With more ants reaching the sixth tier, it became more important than ever before to correlate their evolutionary options and choices. Granin in particular had been obsessed with it, almost as obsessed as the Colony itself, which was why the triad had been busy interviewing and documenting every tier six ant they could get to talk to them.

Which was all of them that they could reach. Once they realised the fruits of their research would be delivered to the Colony, they were only too happy to help.

If only her own colleagues had been as forthcoming with information, they would have been able to achieve so much more. The petty rivalries of the shaper circle seemed even more absurd to her now than they had when she was a student. Perhaps the day would come when social discord and competition would arise amongst the ants, forcing the siblings to struggle against each other, but as of yet, that day had not dawned.

A level of cooperation that bordered on the fanatical, that was the defining trait of the Colony in her eyes. In many ways, Anthony himself exemplified the trait. There was nothing he would not give of himself for his new family, even if he would never say as much.

She stood from behind the desk she had been provided, ensuring she didn't scrape the immaculately woven rug under the carved chair. Once again, only the best had been provided for her use, and she was careful not to damage any of it. Furniture such as this would have cost her a small fortune amongst the golgari.

As she stepped out of the “office”, she found Corun emerging from his own room next door. The young shaper gave her a broad smile, the stones of his true skin grinding together as he did so.

"Another day done. Got everything you need?"

Torrina nodded.

"I don't have any more mages or core shapers to interview, if that's what you mean. I'm not sure if that will satisfy Granin though."

Corun pulled a face and laughed.

"I doubt it. I'm done with the soldiers, scouts and generals that are within reach as well. For the time being, we won't have any choice but to move on to something else. Hopefully, moving down to the fourth to see what Anthony is up to."

other, the easy manner gained through years of association and

he's going to need us for a while yet," she said. "He won't be close to evolving this early, he's only been tier six for what? A couple of

that's still going to be a lot of experience. He might want to get some advice sooner than you think. The next evolution is going

"Damn right it is."

boulder. How

greeted their elder and leader of the triad, "I'm guessing this means that

Granin grunted.

The rest are on the front lines of the expansion war. We just can't

he was at that prospect. In all the time she'd known him, she didn't think she'd seen the old man so enthused with his work, as she imagined he must have been in his younger days. He was obsessed and determined to burn the candle at both ends if it meant

you determined anything yet?"

flicked a glance

here," he said. "Let's get back to the

shared a look at his caution, but they were conditioned to follow the triad leader and so they did not question him, but instead followed as

beautiful, dim light, illuminating the intricate carvings, woven rug and tasteful embellishments

of reinforced stone, she could see the vast open space of ash and smoke that was the skyline of the third stratum. The ominous red light bleeding from the outside into the corridor, infusing it with a macabre glow. Despite the opulence, it was impossible to forget where they were, or how high up. She'd been shocked

the bottom of the plate on which the demon city of Roklu sat, the great nest was kilometres high. The internals were still being worked on, the vast majority of the nest's volume not being utilised, but for now a segment close to the top had been allocated for the allies of the Colony to use. Barracks, training rooms and medical facilities

her of their thoughts on a new technique, muttered something about crumple zones and then assured her they'd done everything they could to ensure they were as safe as possible. She'd shrugged and told them she thought they would

a grand vista? None at all. They wanted the dark and

rooms, greeting the few humans and golgari they saw along the way before filing into Granin's chamber, the large shaper closing the

secrecy?" she

flicked her a glance before he walked to his plush couch and took

a human might welcome. Her people didn't like soft or fluffy things, and needed materials that were durable enough not to

to hold their weight, and with enough give to

sat as Granin leaned forward to discuss his

a few matters of concern. The first of

considered his words for a moment before he

with the tier six ants, but tell me what you think is unusual about them. I want

shapers glanced at each other before Corun

level. Good stats and more than acceptable bonuses almost across the line. I've only encountered a few dud choices, which is