Chrysalis

Tungstant brushed her antennae through her elbow joints, using the fine hairs there to cleanse and refresh her sensitive feelers. After a stressful day on the job, nothing relaxed like a good clean. She revelled in the sensation that spotless antennae gave, that flawless connection with her sense of smell, but only for a moment.

She didn’t want to be accused of slacking….

Although, she did need to rest sometime soon.

“How long since my last torpor?” she wondered.

Work in the fourth stratum had been going at a furious pace, preparing the fortress for the Eldest’s evolution, then for the upcoming wave. The list of jobs that needed doing was never-ending. With all of the new building techniques that were being implemented in this project, there had been several large-scale components that had needed to be torn down and done again. The end result had been a thorax-breaking schedule that had pushed every ant to the limits of their endurance.

“I think I rested yesterday?”

She wasn’t sure, which wasn’t a good sign. Her thinking was getting a touch sluggish also, another indicator that she lacked rest.

Wait. Were the shadows getting darker?

“Yes! I definitely rested for eight hours yesterday!” she declared boldly, with entirely false confidence. “Ah… I feel so refreshed. I can’t wait for my next torpor!”

The darkness began to recede, much to her relief. Then…

“Don’t lie,” came a whisper of scent, directly above her head.

“I’ll go rest! I’m going now!” she cried and collapsed on the ground, clasping her forelegs together in a pleading gesture.

She couldn't afford to be taken now. There was still so much to finish before the fortress would be ready. With a wave bubbling away in the depths, there was limited time! Surely, they understood that and would grant her a little leeway….

They were not known for granting leeway.

When Tungstant looked up, carefully examining the ceiling above her, there was nothing there. The inky blot that had hung, unnoticed, a moment ago, had vanished. They actually were going to cut her some slack?!

This was unheard of.

Unwilling to let this chance slip, Tungstant determined to sleep immediately. She could get four or five hours in, then be back to work straight after. If they took her away, she’d be gone for at least eight, and that was time she couldn’t afford. They may have let her go for now, but if she didn’t get at least some sleep, they’d grab her for sure.

even get here? she

the job for days now, in unprecedented numbers. They returned, of course, looking carefully groomed, well rested, and somewhat traumatised by the experience. Members of the Colony had long learned that such things

Eyes unseeing. Antennae unsmelling.

take shape around the hardened inner core that had housed the Eldest. Wide, clear tunnels with distinct and well-marked lanes swept in graceful loops around the centre, allowing easy access to the districts, each

she had been working in, Tungstant made her way onto the main thoroughfare and

“Keep working hard!”

“Don’t let up now!”

“Eight hours. Never forget.”

that’s

castemates, giving them the ‘antennae slapping greeting’ as the Eldest called it as she passed by. Words of encouragement and endurance were exchanged as they each went on

missing, though. More and more had succumbed lately, vanished into the darkness. It was disrupting work crews and hindering progress. Working tired did produce more flaws, so she understood

thought

knew the routine and had experienced it herself several times. A comfortable resting place, carapace wax and shine, careful

of space…. Think of the storage needed just

close to eight hours later. That meant very little time was used to transport them to and from

were inside the

Meddling with her design?! Adding walls and chambers

to the original design without properly understanding

a brief delay in the flow of traffic, but the ants behind soon began to climb over her and continue on their way as

This could not stand!

bustling as usual, covered in workers going crazy, the air thick with the pheromones of a

her sibling and fellow Council member was every bit as capable as she was. So long as one of them was at the helm, the

looked surprised when Tungstant rushed into the room

already? I thought you’d be going for

but then I realised something that we have to talk about

other carver waggled her antennae vaguely

“Okay… what is it?”

don’t

“Okaay.”

those who went to follow them. Eventually, she managed to squeeze the two of them into a side chamber where they could have some privacy. The room hadn’t been finished yet, even the lighting hadn’t been installed, shrouding the space in shadow, but it was