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.

did they even get here?

been vanishing on the job for days now, in unprecedented numbers. They returned, of course, looking carefully groomed, well rested, and somewhat traumatised by the experience. Members

Eyes unseeing. Antennae unsmelling.

to take shape around the hardened inner core that had housed the Eldest. Wide, clear tunnels with distinct and well-marked lanes swept

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

“Keep working hard!”

“Don’t let up now!”

“Eight hours. Never forget.”

building, that’s

greeting’ as the Eldest called it as she passed by.

hindering progress.

a thought

the routine and had experienced it herself several times. A comfortable resting

of ants at once, would take a tremendous amount of space…. Think of the storage needed just for the tea and biscuits. All of the

also. Vanished ants returned close to eight hours later. That meant very little time was used to transport them to and

were inside

inside the little carver’s carapace. Meddling with her design?! Adding walls and chambers where none should

had added to the original design without properly understanding it?

the flow of traffic, but the ants behind soon began to climb over her and continue on their way

This could not stand!

shifted to a different track on the ring, and began to rush to the build headquarters. The place was bustling as usual, covered in workers going crazy, the air thick with the pheromones of a

as she was. So long as one of them

Tungstant rushed into the

You’re finished in the lower tunnels already? I thought

was going to, but then I realised something

other carver waggled her

“Okay… what is it?”

don’t know

“Okaay.”

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,