The winged Dauver had spread her influence hijacking relay after relay. For the first few hives, Iklinini visited in order to gain access. Once there she would find and send the prime signaler into hibernation. Each time, she would take over communications. This indignant role was short-lived while she altered the drones and injected her eggs.

Each time, she added altered keys to the limited mind of the drone. To them, they were no longer prime but secondary signaler's fulfilling the role while a new generation of spawn emerged. All the same functions, calculations and communications continued their relay. Now her input was categorized as a higher priority.

She had visited 7 of the smaller hives. Each of the relays captured had been carefully selected. 7 small hives were all that was needed to isolate the large guardian node. Node 8 controlled 4 defensive swarms. Now, all the wingless queen received was falsified data.

8 hives and 4 swarms were all she had now, but this was all she needed. Already the next generation was on their way. Of course, she made sure to instill an instinct to attack any spawn with aberrant growth.

* * *

Her chitin had strained further and seemed on the verge of ripping from her carapace spilling herself into the chamber. This was not the case. She was the superior queen. She'd devoured all her sisters.

Still, a nuisance continued. More of the Sentinel Drones had destroyed several of her relays. Signalers reported constantly with data of anomalous precursors being detected.

Holding the north against the infestation grows more costly. It must be removed. The hive must advance and adapt.

Her listeners queried the towers for 148 cycles. Her signalers constantly adjusted reflective structures at the tops of certain domes. The towers responded to the light and she was able to glean the necessary data. She'd obtained information about the structure's biologic functions of the sentinel drones. She used this data to encourage the growth of new sensory organs and increase neural capacity.

Using her new broods the precursor would be detected before the infestation advances. Even now they were coupled with hunters as an advanced half unit, each containing 2 detectors and 4 hunters. With a full advance unit to both swarms, she now had 32 swarms or 2 and one-third columns.

Her 8 lobed brain demanded symmetry and continued trying to calculate a method to only use 2 columns or use a full 3. The 3 would be a waste of resources, and the 2 would not be enough. That storm had caused all but a third of node 8 to be permanently damaged. Harvesters had tried to reclaim the meat. But node 8 was a frontier node and wildlife made the resources unobtainable.

It would be 25 more rotations of the sun before all the columns and swarms were assigned. Again, her brain demanded symmetry. 25 should round down to a 24. To do so would be exchanging a shortened travel time for an increase in resources. The queen would not derail her optimization predictions.

* * *

Dreamer smelled the charring feathers, heard shells cracking in the thermal's heat. He hoped there might be more of a distinction between the meat cooking on Falle's large vent, but the only distinction was his knowledge.

Shaman Valcha and Yagbur had joined a turn ago. The First Dreamer had been watching the shaman's dreams and saw the first part of his tasks done.

Sixteen knew what those spores would bring, as did Valcha. There had been little need to intercede and tell them not to return to Falle. The Shaman sang them the path towards Dauver's Drop. The drop was a dormant crevasse and was just far enough away that sentinel spires began to peek over the horizon. There were hives near, but not so much so that the hole in the ground would be discovered.

Once they made it there they were to deposit all but 12 of sealed blessings.

Murkie had already returned to him. Sixteen intended the return journey to cull the mutilated kesit, but somehow after Valcha had instructed him, he arrived at Falle. The elder remembered stopping Murkie from killing a hunter just out of Valcha's training. Oedfa still had his nasal cavity collapsed from the beating the crazed kesit had given him. It was the hunter's duty to protect Falle and he wouldn't be faulted for attempting to stop the diseased looking kesit. The burnt thing was with him now, sedated as he was by the steam.

Sixteen had relayed his instruction through Valcha’s dream. Murkie was to return. They were to purify two relays and ensure the singer completed delivery of the north’s blessing. Valcha indicated Sanshall was of weaker blood. The Dreamer gave blessing to the shaman to discern any details he felt necessary.

He recalled final trance, just before deciding the tribe's course. He'd seen the full hive. His eyes saw thousands of the long segmented bugs. He saw them walk over the Falle. There wouldn't be any captured and enslaved. They would simply be added to the wasteful bug's stores of food or be consumed where they stood. Valcha and Yagbur would stop this. The hive had one source. Yagbur would deliver the Will of Enkyall.