The Swarm Cradle delegation was far larger than Iyojin had expected.

It seemed as though her own little group was not the only collective from the ‘next generation,’ so to speak - she spotted several familiar, if not exactly friendly, faces, dotted throughout the crowd. There were almost half again as many older Executors gathered, though she had no idea how many intended to participate in the Tournament and how many were simply escorting the merchant caravans.

Gihan and Waehan - the Factory heir - had explained (if a little condescendingly, in the latter’s case) that Swarm Cradle was one of the farthest enclaves sending representatives to the Inner Cities, and they would have to travel through modestly-dangerous territory in order to get there. As such, it was one of the few times that they would be able to bring goods to sell there - and given their relatively exotic nature, the trip would more than make back the expense, even with the Tournament’s entry fee.

That, at least, explained the trio of Titan Millipedes stacked with bulbous luggage compartments. Most of them contained Titan Honey, primarily from Waehan’s own factory, but other objects - Stinger blades, Titan Paper (a versatile construction material, which unsurprisingly made up the shell of the Paperhall), and Titan Resin were also carefully stored in there.

The significant distance, and dangerous terrain, meant that simply using Dragonflight mounts was not an option - additionally, the Queen had made clear the need to present a powerful front to the other representatives, so Swarm Cradle’s delegation had been ordered to travel together. Most of the other students, primarily from the Executor track, were riding along on the Millipedes - they were even joined by a few Executors, though many were travelling on their personal mounts.

Gihan had secured a Beetle-drawn carriage, fortunately, which gave her enough space for a makeshift laboratory and sleeping quarters. She wouldn’t be able to use the former while in travel, most likely, but she could sleep diurnally and work during the night if necessary. Or, so Gihan had implied - with the deadline this close, and she still no closer to what felt like a breakthrough, her mood had taken a significant turn for the terse.

They had gathered outside of Upcott gradually, various Titan Insects emerging from the slightly broader Termite mound exit some distance away, even as Iyojin and the rest of their little group were granted express shuttles up to the surface.

It had taken days for luggage to be loaded, mounts to be prepared, representatives to be accounted for - the procession had bloated to what seemed a ridiculous size, and Iyojin wondered if they would ever be setting off.

A topside crowd had clustered at the edge of the city, watching in what Iyojin assumed was awe - and perhaps a little fear. There was a hushed chatter hovering about the citizens, and not one that spoke of appreciation for the protection they granted.

Iyojin had kept an eye on them for a little while, wondering if a fight might break out - but it seemed that, confronted with their historical progenitors, they had little desire to bring any Executors down on their heads.

The buzz of Swarm Cradle’s military force was incredible. Men and women clad in Chitin armour darted through the air, checking perimeters, ensuring preparations were being seen to, or simply watching over the group. Others stalked the thick, trampled grass with silent menace - Gihan had told her that they would not tolerate disputes between delegation members, at risk of severe punishment.

Iyojin herself sat atop the Titan Beetle that Gihan had secured for her. It was a Goliath subtype, with a primarily black body and a fascinatingly-intricate series of white stripes up its body. The Y-shaped horn atop its had was pronounced - specifically bred for size, she imagined. Gihan’s family seemingly had quite the menagerie.

Still, the horn gave it a certain intimidating air, and Iyojin knew that in territorial battles between Titan Beetles the greater the horn, the more effective its toss. Already she had sketched notes on a Weave for incorporating such a weapon into Chitin - but Beetle modules were typically only used for guard positions, now. Weaponry since the time of their primacy had advanced significantly.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate tradition, of course - it certainly gave the Beetle a powerful air, and projecting an image of power was sometimes just as important as power itself.

Or, at least, so Gihan had argued. She wasn’t sure she completely agreed - surely the ultimate priority should be actual strength, at least for Executors?

Regardless, she had, in a fit of pique, chosen a spot on the prothorax, just behind its head, to watch the proceedings. The breeze wafted through her shaggy locks, and Iyojin felt a certain sense of peaceful calm come over her.

The noise from the delegation ahead was by no means minor - the shouted yells, chittering of insects, and dull thuds of movement meant that the air was thick with sound. And yet, despite her usual dislike of overwhelming noise, her almost-separation from the events was… refreshing.

She finished a preliminary theory on incorporating Goliath Beetle elytra into Chitin and closed her notebook, stowing it in the woven paper basket beside her, before lying back to face the sky.

It felt… odd, not being beneath the ceiling of Swarm Cradle. There was simply vast space above her, an endless chasm of infinite magnitude. One could fly up and up and up and simply never stop. Could an Executor eventually reach Illumina, doing so? Iyojin imagined some scholars must know the answer.

The open air is not unpleasant, Iyojin decided internally. Certainly, it didn’t give her the surety of safety that being enclosed by the underside chambers did, but perhaps the sense of freedom was a worthy tradeoff.

“Enjoying yourself, Iyojin?” Gihan’s amused voice chuckled from behind her.

She sat up and twisted, trying not to let on that he had surprised her. Honestly, she had thought herself more diligent than that.

Gihan was accompanied by another, smaller Beetle, towing a wagon covered by a tarp. She frowned at it, and Gihan followed her gaze.

“Ah yes! All the supplies you will need for your project, I hope,” Gihan said, grinning. “My father provided a Chitin frame, which you are of course free to make modifications to. This one is based on Wasp shell, for lightness and flexibility, but has almost twice the number of silk nodes as the standard Paperhall model.”

Well, Iyojin had not exactly possessed the standard Paperhall model - her Orb Mother had built her a specialised frame based on Spider carapace. Still, twice the silk nodes of the typical model was nothing to scoff at - the more silk nodes available, the more and more complex Weaves one could implement.

Iyojin was, of course, bringing along her Weaver Chitin anyway - it would be necessary, at the very least, to work on this frame. Gihan had told her that he was sparing no expense, however, and she had seen an opportunity for delay on the project. Asking for an updated frame would suffice for at least a little while.

She nodded, and Gihan continued. “We’ve also got an enormous spool of Titan Silk, all kinds of Titan remnants for you to pick through, and my notes on the Chitins of the others.”

Gihan had told her that only he and Yongaiji would be actually participating in the Tournament - Waehan was the principle financier, Haiyeun was some kind of general-purpose servant, and Iyojin herself was there for maintenance… and her project, of course.

Geonbi’s role in the delegation remained undefined, which Iyojin was finding more and more curious. So far she had remained aloof, even letting Gihan give the orders - though never to her. Haiyeun, too, seemed to defer to Geonbi whenever possible.

She slid off the side of the Beetle and walked over to inspect the contents of the wagon. Spinneret modules, a collection of Stinger subtypes, an actual Bombardier Valve - she supposed that Executor fight those weeks ago had made an impression on Gihan - and the hexagonal-prism carapace of nutrient fluid that contained her project.

She stared at it for a moment, a churning mix of despair and anxiety fighting for dominance. This module had taken up so much of her time - would continue to take up the journey - and yet she felt no closer to finishing it.

“Everything you need here?” Gihan asked, raising an elegantly-curved eyebrow.

“Your Chitin?” she asked in response.

“Ah yes, safely in my compartment,” he said, nodding to the second Beetle he had hired, for him, Yongaiji and Waehan. “I imagine you won’t be done with your project before we arrive, and would prefer not to risk working on it on the open road. The delegation will be able to erect a more appropriate laboratory once we arrive at the Inner Cities. I trust that that is acceptable?”

Iyojin nodded once, turning away to climb back aboard her Beetle. It gave her another excuse for delays, if necessary - she was unfamiliar with his Weave, or she hadn’t had a chance to study the modules had already incorporated, or some such.

“Excellent!” Gihan exclaimed as she scaled the side stirrups, to reclaim her place atop the Beetle. “I will have some of my men load everything up shortly, and then it won’t be long before we set off!”

Iyojin didn’t nod, but she observed as moved towards his own caravan. She did not know what transport Geonbi and Haiyeun had obtained, or even if they would be travelling together. She was glad, however, that Gihan had not presumed to stick her bed with his broad, elaborately-detailed carriage - living that close to three others would be far too much like her miserable initial years of joint dormitory living.

She far preferred solitude.

It wasn’t long before a trio of Chitin-clad men - merely functional work-plate, rather than a battle-specialized set - arrived to aid her, and she directed them on where to store the supplies Gihan had given her.

The inside of her carriage was some midpoint between luxurious and utilitarian - the laboratory section and the bedroom section were conjoined, but there was an embroidered silk curtain that could be drawn across to hide her bedding, and a broad desk at which she could work, studded with two glowlamps for light.

Shuttered windows also gave her some vision outside, and a door at the front of the carriage lead to a platform that would allow her access to the Beetle-s back, should she need it. For now, it would follow the pheromones that Gihan would coat his own Beetle with.

The workers finished placing her the Chitin frame Gihan had given her on the set of hooks in the laboratory section, before filing out of the door on the back.

She took a seat on the plush bed of her carriage, and slowly shook her head.

How strange that this is where life had lead her. She had not really ever expected to venture farther than Upcott, and here she was about to travel to the Inner Cities, for heaven’s sake.

It was bizarre and anxiety-inducing and yet, despite everything, she felt… anticipation. Not just for the novelty of the city, the sights and sounds she would see, nor merely for the Tournament itself.

One way or another, this trip would bring an end to the farce she had built around her project. She would be forced to either come up with a solution or reveal that she was a fraud, and whilst the second caused her stomach to drop out from under her, the knowledge that the deception would finally end was… strangely liberating.

Outside, a horn blew out a warning noise.

They would be leaving in an hour. She stood, opened the door to the front, and climbed up onto the Beetle’s back once more. There she turned to look back the disheveled topside city. She would not get to say a final goodbye to Swarm Cradle, but she had already given appropriate departing words to her Orb Mother.

The only way remaining was ahead.