The nest was “abuzz” with activity. Queens were scurrying from one display to the next taking notes and then moving along to the next one without pause.

Lounging in the center of this activity was the Matriarch. To one unfamiliar with her it would appear that she was napping. In truth, she was meditating. Her mind was taking apart all the information she had consumed, and putting it back together again in countless different configurations.

She had to agree with one of the youngest of her demi’s. The humans were indeed “so cool!”.

One of the queens approached and waited patiently. After a few moments the matriarch turned her head to idly regard her.

“Yes?”

“Matriarch,” the queen said nodding respectfully. “The report on the humans you requested has been completed. The author’s notes, usually a waste of storage space, may be worth a read. If nothing else they are quite amusing. The professor was quite free with their opinion.”

“Ah, Professor Kvazz! That grumpy old drone is always good for a chuckle or two!” the matriarch replied as she took the data tablet that was offered. “Hmm,” she said as she scrolled through it. “This explains the delay.”

“Yes, matriarch,” the queen replied. “He was quite… thorough...”

“Well I suppose I should show respect for his diligence and read it in its entirety,” the matriarch replied exuding rueful amusement. “I should have known what I was asking when I told them, ‘give me everything’… Have you read it?”

“I… skimmed it...” the queen replied. “It’s quite the tome.”

“And your opinions?”

“I find the humans quite intriguing although I now have more questions than I did before,” the queen replied. “How they have managed to survive and produce any civilization or technology is astounding. It’s almost as if they exist solely out of spite and stubbornness.”

“Perhaps we have found a kindred spirit then,” the matriarch laughed as she signaled gratitude and a cessation of conversation, turning to the tablet.

The queen nodded respectfully and returned to her duties.

An hour later Axr/Kal/Breen/Mortshana stood in front of the matriarch, vibrating.

The matriarch sighed and set down the tablet.

“Before you actually shake something loose, what is it?”

“I have the latest news and signal intercepts from the Federation concerning the humans.”

“Oh? Anything of note?”

“Much has transpired!” Mortshana exclaimed “There was an incident on Zaran-7! A human cooked and ate a Kreenel! Not only that but the… I think it’s like one of their demi’s, maybe even just a moltling… called a local media program and announced that Jessica Morgan had taken command of their separate orders all of which had previously acted as their own mounds in preparation for waging war on the Federation!”

“Something we had considered as a very real possibility,” the matriarch said taking Morthshana’s report.

“As a result martial law has been declared! It seems that Jessica Morgan was caught completely unprepared by the moltling’s indiscretion as well! She is enraged! Intercepted transmissions have her literally screaming at the order responsible! She even demanded the execution of the moltling which the head of its order absolutely refused to do even threatening Morgan herself, directly challenging her matron!

Jessica Morgan was caught completely unprepared and has had to scramble to secure herself since there is now an order for her arrest! Before having to completely cease operations while she finds a new safe location she issued hasty and contradictory orders that seem to have left the individual orders confused, alarmed, at odds with each other, and questioning her leadership!”

“Mmm Hmm...” the matriarch said with an indulgent spray of affection. “This Morgan, she’s a full matriarch isn’t she? Not just a matriarch but a high-matron, and she has been for over a century? Yes?”

“Yes!”

“And these communications we ‘intercepted’ were able to easy decrypt?”

“They were no match for our machines, matriarch!”

“I see,” the matriarch smiled.

“And are you familiar with your impetuous fellow demi currently snatching these transmissions?”

“Yes! Gvlari is a good friend of mine, actually!”

“And you’ve read her reports, all of them?”

“Yes!”

“Alright,” the matriarch smiled. “This Morgan, she possesses an entirely unique communications technology and they have cyphers even we cannot defeat...”

The matriarch paused looking at Morthshana meaningfully. Then she waited patiently.

She sighed.

“So these particular humans have a secret communications ability and are for some reason choosing to use easily intercepted ones. They have cyphers even we cannot crack...”

“And they are using easily defeated ones!” Mortshana exclaimed.

“And that means?”

“That these transmissions were intended to be intercepted! They are false!”

The matriarch smiled.

“It’s a trap!” Mortshana exclaimed excitedly.

“And one you would have just gone charging into, just like the Federation will.”

Morthshana exuded embarrassment.

“We, the keepers of secrets and masters of tricks must not fall prey to them ourselves, my little demi. Consider this in the future.”

“Yes matriarch!” Morthshana said with a bow but she did not depart. She still stood there just shaking with excitement.

“Is there something else?”

Mortshana exuded so much smug accomplishment that the matriarch’s antennae twitched.

“Just one additional, almost insignificant thing,” she said proudly producing another tablet. “I was reading through some human texts and media and found a very intriguing statement. I did a media search and found… this!” she exclaimed as she handed the tablet to the matriarch.

The matriarch sprayed so much astonishment that every queen in the room paused and looked.

“This… this is the Homilies!!!! This is the Homilies of the War Maven! Concept for fornicating concept!” the matriarch exclaimed as she scrolled through the pages.

“Your favorite book!” Mortshana exclaimed. “And to answer your next question, no. There has been no known contact with the humans and this 'Sun Tzu' (a drone if you can believe it!) predates any contact with the others by centuries!”

“Wha?” the matriarch stammered.

Morthshana grinned. She had never seen the matriarch at a loss for words before.

“Well this explains much!” the matriarch laughed. “Thank you for this wonderful find!” she said as a blue liquid started to form in her jaws.

Morthshana eagerly approached and lapped the ichor from the matriarch’s mandibles and then collapsed into a spasming heap.

“When you recover,” the matriarch commanded. “send a silk-spinner to the Raylesh system! Locate this Jessica Morgan if you can. The smart credits are on her departing the system after this trap is sprung. When she does I want to know exactly where she goes!”

She leaned back into her lounge.

“I wish to speak with her personally!”