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

first thing they used

bring us

closer inspection, she could see glistening fruits embedded in each section, strawberries in the red layer, and peaches in the orange. She took her

It was delicious.

them for the food,” she said, then turned and

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

as she now knew they preferred to be called,

finest gems the fourth stratum has to offer, cut

on their Queens, considering they seemed to have developed an entire culinary

To be more clear, they don’t think the Queens will like them, but they are willing to offer some, just

“Very well.”

highest

curiosity, are any of you talking to

“Not currently, no.”

“Interesting.”

pondered a moment longer. Would they want arms and armour? None of the ants she saw around her were wearing anything of the sort, though she saw

was some level of

forges produce materials of the highest quality. Particularly, for metals and woods infused with water mana, we are the best to

They couldn’t move them. 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

“They… hmmm.”

she demanded softly, no hint

looked troubled, perhaps

Eran warned. “Cultural differences can give rise to offence where

they would love to purchase a sampling of our wares, but only so they

They absolutely did have a far higher affinity for water mana than any other race, and were extremely accomplished when applying it in enchanting. She could see

that much confidence in their own craftswork? It took decades to develop those Skills to an acceptable level,

was approaching this from the wrong

would they be prepared