Chrysalis

Negotiations were always a delicate matter. There were many things to consider, after all. What was culturally and economically acceptable to both sides? What did each side want from the other? It was around these things that discussions would focus.

The first thing Eran Umizan needed to discern was what it was the Colony desired.

“Do they need food?”

Clearly, they had an interest in foodstuffs, as evidenced by the tea and scones. There was a brief consultation.

“They don’t,” Irisod told her. “Apparently, they grow all of their own food. Their own sugar, wheat, tea leaves and everything else they consume in large quantities. For satisfying their hunger, they generally use Biomass or… aphids? I’m not sure what those are.”

Interesting.

“We can negotiate a price for access to our gates?” she suggested. “Would they be interested in discussing terms for such an agreement?”

The price would be hideously expensive, of course. If you couldn’t make your own gates, then you were at the mercy of whoever was in a position to offer you access to one.

An ant entered with another tray covered in delectable-looking slices of layered cake, each topped with a twirl of pink cream. Eran’s brow went up as the tray was carefully placed before her, and another was distributed amongst her retinue.

Again, no poison.

“I thought they were short on supplies?” she asked her Court Mage, quietly.

“Apparently, they just developed their own gate.”

“What? When?”

“Just now.”

“As in…?”

in, during

the first thing they used it for

us cake,

a razor. On closer inspection, she could see glistening fruits embedded in each

It was delicious.

turned and glared

face with it in a most un-decorous manner. The girl flushed under the withering glare of her

be called, were an interesting case. They

the finest gems

on their Queens, considering they seemed to have developed an entire culinary culture around serving their ant mothers sweets. Perhaps they would be interested

more clear, they don’t think the Queens will like

“Very well.”

the highest quality

talking to the

“Not currently, no.”

“Interesting.”

the ants she saw around her were wearing anything of the

of industry in

they be interested in purchasing equipment from us? Our forges produce materials of the highest quality. Particularly, for

The level of stillness went beyond just their heads, they barely moved at all. Only the antennae shifted and twitched, but she couldn’t begin to interpret such movements. Her negotiating partners were a blank wall. Another thing

“They… hmmm.”

it, Irisod,” she demanded softly, no

troubled, perhaps

anger,” Eran warned. “Cultural differences can give rise to offence where none is intended. Tell me what

to purchase a sampling of our wares, but only so they could study them. The ants are confident they can make superior

have a far higher affinity for water mana than any other race, and were extremely accomplished when applying it in enchanting. She could see why Irisod might have been rankled by such a statement, but

decades to develop those Skills to an acceptable level, longer without training and guidance. The Colony was young, yet

approaching this from the wrong

sort of things would they be prepared to