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?

had been vanishing on the job for days now, in unprecedented numbers. They returned, of course, looking carefully groomed, well rested,

Eyes unseeing. Antennae unsmelling.

tunnels with distinct and well-marked lanes swept

she had been working in, Tungstant made her way onto

“Keep working hard!”

“Don’t let up now!”

“Eight hours. Never forget.”

that’s the carver

as she passed by. Words of encouragement and endurance were exchanged as they each

work crews and hindering progress. Working tired did produce more flaws, so she understood it was a trade

a thought

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

tremendous amount of space…. Think of the storage needed just for the tea and biscuits. All of the beds…

That meant very

were inside

sparked inside the little carver’s carapace. Meddling with her design?! Adding walls and chambers where none should exist?! This threatened to jeopardise the integrity of the entire

crannies they had added to the original design without properly

horrific implications rattled around in her mind. She caused a brief delay in the flow of traffic, but the ants behind soon began to climb over her and continue on

This could not stand!

the air thick with the pheromones of a hundred

as she was. So long as one

when Tungstant rushed into

I thought you’d be

going to, but then I realised something that we have to

waggled her antennae

“Okay… what is it?”

don’t know

“Okaay.”

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