05 Swarm

Hive 64’s prime signaler repeated the inquiry. The response came.

~~No data received from watcher hive 12 in 3 rotations.

Redundant data request recorded.

Repeated inquests reported to prime node's signalers.~~

~~Redundancy neccessary

Validate potentially erroneous data,

Potential signaler deficiency.

Advise of hive 12’s status.~~

~~Reporting data corrected.

Inquest serves purpose.

Processing query.

Hive 12 unavailable.

Attempting alternate relay...

No contact...

Attempting frontier territory...

Local... northeastern sector...

Northeastern frontier unavailable.

Attempting alternate relay...

No contact...

Attempting coastal territory...

Local... eastern sector...

Eastern coastal unavailable.

Attempting alternate relay...

No contact...

Error...

All alternate routes attempted...

Signal hive 13 unavailable.~~

Confusion processed. 64’s signaler requested data from the alternate relay station. The relay station confirmed the prime relay’s data. An investigative request needed to be sent immediately. Hive 64 sent out the request to the nearest defensive swarm. The specialized drone connected to the appropriate relays and sent out the request.

~~Request received.

Validate identity.

Provide relay key.~~

The signaler responded quickly passing the validation data.

~~Request actioned.

4 inquest swarms sent to probe territory.

2 defensive swarms will accompany.

Region 12’s alert status updated to potential hazard.

Node 8 notified of region status.~~

A short gap in communications followed. It concluded the lag was from an influx in reports.

~~Martial orders alert.

Hives 64 60 58, cull off livestock immediately.

Coordinate meat and grain supplementation

Provide to the nearest defensive swarm.~~

The signaler issued orders as it received them. Claws to manipulated tubes in the chamber. Clicks and whistles relayed orders to the harvesters. Tubes withdrawn, twisted and clicking into place. As they were connected commands repeated through the system. No confirmation chirps. Heartbeats of the cattle reverberated. There were no noisy screaming vocalizations. No indication the command was being carried out. The domi's steps were quiet, but it heard the cattle led from the room.

* * *

They smelled of grass, they smelled of dirt. Yagbur hated it. He lay down in the mud with 4 others, watching and listening. He dreaded the moments that came next. It was too similar to his naming trial.

That had been a terrifying affair and this was worse. He remembered being told, just hold the oilskins and follow. It wasn't some special order as the shaman had long dismissed him as fodder. A beast of burden, and being the stupid beast, the chela he had been, he followed, walking through the trees listening to the wind, and idly humming.

He still remembered when, as they all vanished, he kept walking. He'd screamed and screamed as he ran from the bug, giant with so so many legs and claws. Bait. That's what he was. Trainees jumped on it from trees and felled it before he could fully collapse. They handed him a fang, telling him how to cure and clean it. It was different now, he had his name. He was Yagbur the bait, and this was worse.

His pack was heavy, and he was beyond tired. All night they had spent hiding among the trees. The Dreamer warned them to avoid the giant glowing creatures called Sentinels. They’d all been told that they were harmless giants on their own, but still commanded they avoid them and not be seen. The group wound through trees and crawled through the grass.

Staying out of the sentinel's sight was near impossible. They’d seen 11 of the terrifying things. The things stood taller than the bugs, taller than the trees or hives. Yagbur's hide itched avoiding an untold number of eyes watching from their underside. Each was graceful, and terrifying as their legs silently glided like a single leaf on the wind. Yagbur knew the Dauver ignored and left the giant drones alone. Considering the scale and number, he both understood the bug's apprehension and the party's command.

Here now in the present, they watched a lone bug walking circles around the hive entrance. It was large and with shells thicker and heavier than the one he’d seen slain. Every few seconds they heard it chirp and Yagbur resisted the urge to jump.

The shaman had warned from experience. Interrupting or alerting it would result in an eighth the hive swarming them. In his opinion, this should be avoided. So they watched and listened.

Yagbur's eyes saw less than a shadow on the outside of the structure. Greys shifted with the night clouds. They all knew he was there and knew where to look, but the bug did not. There was one final call from the bug's tymbal, and the shadow fell. The giant stopped. Legs and legs freezing like ice and stone.

A hand caught the back of the fatally distracted ear with a sharp tug. He’d frozen at the sight of Havlek taking down the monstrosity. He knew his task, undid his burden and ran.

Hands held the 2 fangs connected to a long-detached facial tymbal. It was ugly and reeked of badly cured bug. Still, his job had been to listen. The Singer blew, rasping his lips and rubbing the fangs together in the same pattern the bug had used. That was his job and that’s what he would continue to do with exact precision at each of 40 intervals.

* * *

Havlek felt the give of the carapace to his claw. This was a hunter and its shell was thick, but the claw he wielded came from a cast-off Sentinel molting and there was nothing sharper and stronger. It sank deep into the red gray cluster of fat. It was just the size, and if he were to steam it, same taste as a kutta nut.

He watched as his squad ran the twisted one stumbling with the instrument. Sometimes he questioned why the shamans didn't have culled him for his imperfections, but the Dreamer had insisted he not only live, but now barely an adult, go with them. Yagbur might have some small gift, but Havlek could manage the problem.

The kesit lurked into the entrance and pathed through the slave tubes. This wasn't a nursery so they wouldn’t have to worry about the spiny nymphs like the last one.

They found the combed wall of the sleeping den. The four began pulling kesit men out, and one by one began anointing them. Once entranced any that struggled or made noise was unworthy, risking their endeavor. The unworthy had their necks broken and a small black orb placed into their mouth.

One by one they were brought out of the hive and into the forest. Each time he passed Yagbur was still there blowing chirps through the fangs. When all of the Kesit were brought to the pit in the forest he’d have to stop blowing and when that happened the hive would swarm him. Too stupid to realize is too stupid to survive.

All told of the 200 only 170 could be kept. 33 recovered had been females and the Kin would be the stronger. The rest had had to be blessed with the north's blessing.

Still, for Havlek there was another task to be done. His instructions before they’d left on their journey was to stop the signaler. Havlek walked through the halls listening for the disgusting song. He wound through the tunnels, a maze but he listened and saw his path.

This was a hive of harvesters. Unlike the other bugs, the harvesters lay dormant during the cold night. Their shells were thinner reducing their insulation, further slowing their metabolism. He knew them and watched them. He dreamed of nothing but ending them. Havlek despised them, but they were creatures of efficiency.

The sound he'd been following changed directions. Ears turned up before his eyes did. He leaped, long fingers grasping the thin ridges in the hole meant for claws. He felt every flaw, grain of sand and crack. His feet pushed, each part working, muscles coordinating every bit of movement.

Havlek stopped his breathing, his ears sharpening. Heart slowed and muffled itself with the exertion. These parts of the tunnels weren’t meant for the like of them. The shrill ringing intensified as he climbed.

A thin membrane buzzed above him. He tried with care to silently slice and open it, but instead, the sensitive material ripped. There was no time for it. He pulled himself through tearing through it the rest of the way. At the top he heard, each sound bouncing off of the walls in perfect resonance. An image like rain striking stone and he saw.

* * *

Hive 64’s listener heard ripping and saw a sharp form rip through a communication’s cylinder. It called out an alert to the hunters before it could fully make out what was coming through. It was livestock. The livestock held a sharp object. The listener processed this with confusion. It sent out its final communication.

~~Anomalous behavior.~~

It was a small blip, it was enough. The cattle leapt on the listener. Pain and then nothing.

* * *

Yagbur’s lungs burned. He’d seen kin after kin brought out. He’d known there would be those that were left behind, but still, he helped save them. Yagbur blew. He’d have nightmares about blowing this thing if he stopped they’d die. They’d all get out.

There was only one kin left, Havlek. Yagbur kept blowing. A loud trill came from atop the hive. He kept blowing. He heard scratching noises growing from inside the entrance. He persisted. Heavy panting and breathing. Yagbur heard the beating of feet, he heard the heart.

Havlek burst out. 12 hunters were almost on top of him. His eyes were wild, his claw was gone. The singer knew they were dead. Not much to do about it. Havlek crashed into him and knocked them both to the ground.

Hunters piled on them. Yagbur blew again and kept on blowing through the screams. Havlek was gone. Yagbur blew. The hunters stopped. A low whining bugle. The hunters attempted to run. Light shone on them. Sharp blows blurred skewering the hunters. The giants directed their lights and eyes at the hive.

It was a swarm of sentinels. He'd never heard them, but his ears heard their low sorrowful sound rumbling through him. One of the titans slammed its body into the hive. It gave immediately.

Yagbur slowly dragged himself back. His eyes watching as the harmless giants crushed the dome. Sharp legs struck and struck and struck. They speared everything fleeing out out the crushed dome in the panic. Yagbur stopped playing the tymbals. He dropped them, got to his feet, turned and ran. He was not seen.