An incessant buzzing filled the insectarium. Irritated by the ceaseless racket, Zalu batted away a swarm of fat bronze beetles with her palm. They scattered before she could land a blow, but soon more of them jostled for position in the space that the others no longer occupied.

“Now then where are you?” She asked wearily, searching for the specific insect that bore the Arch-Sentinel’s unique insignia.

She was a nervous looking and round-faced woman. A threadbare robe hung loosely on her body. She squinted and examined each and every insect’s thorax, each of which was embossed with tiny emblems that corresponded to various important dignitaries. At last she spied her master’s insignia emblazoned on one of the messenger beetles. It zipped through the open wooden shutters before coming to rest on the wall. Zalu felt pity for the thing as she saw it was missing a couple of legs and had clearly been nibbled on.

“Oh dear, what’s happened to you little fella?” cooed Zalu

Despite the damage to its body the insect still bumbled enthusiastically towards Zalu and sat on her shoulder. It chirped contentedly as she gently stroked its armoured casing. From her robe she produced a small wooden box. She then scooped up the beetle, placed it inside and tucked the box back inside her robe. The beetle buzzed irritatedly inside the box in a bid to escape, but it wouldn’t yield. Unlatching the door, Zalu then briskly exited the insectarium.

Zalu emerged into an empty cinnamon coloured corridor. Pink shades of sunlight shone through a domed glass ceiling and into her eyes, making her squint reflexively. The sudden transition from darkness to brightness made her maladapted eyes sting. She’d been raised in the slums of Deadshell’s subterranean under-city, where the indigent underclasses had evolved to have inherently superb night vision. This adaptation made Zalu and her kind ill-suited to life on the radiant surface. Entomological-Custodian was Zalu’s rather grandiose, official job title. Despite the implied grandeur, she could more succinctly be described as a postwoman.

Scuttling down the corridor she arrived at the door that led into the wine cellar. Inside she gathered together on a silver tray a set of ornate glass goblets and an accompanying decanter, as well as a bottle of vintage wine.

Sighing with exhausted relief at having procured the wine and the beetle, she then hurried off towards her master’s chambers.

The corridor resonated with the sound of her heels clacking on the marble floor as well as her nervous humming. A series of gloomy-looking stone busts depicting former Arch-Sentinels adorned the long passageway. They gazed at Zalu like strict headmasters. This corridor has always felt endless to her. The end of it always seemed so much farther out of reach than she remembered.

All of a sudden, Zalu was taken by surprise by a huge meteor colliding with the domed glass ceiling. Looking up she saw the fire it left in it wake slowly subside leaving behind nothing but clear sky seen through unbroken crystalline glass.

“These surface-dwellers really know what they’re doing” she whispered to herself in begrudging awe.

Awe mixed with contempt was often the feeling she experienced as she bustled around Deadshell- the city nestled inside an enormous snail shell. Her perceived maltreatment by the surface-dwelling elite prevented her from fully embracing her admiration for the ancient city.

Composing herself, Zalu realised she’d dropped a goblet in her fright. Bending to pick it up she marvelled at the sight of it. Despite being dropped from a height the glass wasn’t even remotely chipped.

“Get your filthy bottom-dwelling hands off that glass this instant!” interjected a screechy voice, disturbing the calm silence that until that moment had pervaded the corridor.

Zalu cast her eyes down at her clumpy shoes, adopting a contrite pose.

“My apologies ma’am” she said with half-feigned obsequiousness

A wizened old hand reached out and snatched the goblet from her.

“Stupid girl” the voice chided her, like a disappointed parent

Without looking up Zalu listened as the shrill voice’s owner then tutted in irritation before strutting away across the marble floor. Zalu sighed in relief after receiving only a rather mild scolding from the elderly Sentinel.

Arriving outside a tall silk curtain draped over an entryway, she cleared his throat and waited for a reply.

“Come on in new girl, and don’t spill any wine on the rug” called out a fruity voice disinterestedly.

Zalu felt the smooth silk brush against her skin as she pushed past it. Entering the room, she was bowled over by its sheer grandeur. The space was furnished with all the exotic trappings of a Burgophlian Khatun from the western isles. A gleaming malachite chandelier with golden filigree floated untethered above her and a huge stuffed moose-head was mounted above the fireplace. The class-conscious part of Zalu that had grown up in the underground slums judged that all this extravagant ornamentation was an utterly shameful display of wealth, whilst another guiltier part of her was busy admiring it.

“Well? Well?! Where’s the blasted message then girl?” warbled a voice from above Zalu.

Suspended precariously in a hammock was the Arch-Sentinel- overlord to the sprawling trans-continental Sentinelate. His lumpy pear shaped body was crammed tightly into an ill-fitting military uniform, and he was thumbing through a weighty book.

“Come on! Come on! Be quick about it!” he snapped, waving his flabby arms around impatiently.

Zalu stifled an indignant retort and set the silver tray down on a nearby table. She then rummaged inside her robe until she felt the cold metal of the little wooden box’s fastener. She withdrew the mouse sized box and unlatched it. A buzzing, flapping, bumbling beetle burst out from the box purposefully and raced up towards the plump Arch-Sentinel. It barely hesitated before zipping inside the man’s ear. He shuddered slightly as his ear was penetrated before staring off vacantly at the floating chandelier. As the messenger beetle relayed its message to the Arch-Sentinel, Zalu gracefully decanted the shimmering wine into a glass goblet whilst she waited. After a couple of minutes an earwax encrusted beetle crawled out from the Arch-Sentinel’s ear and buzzed over to Zalu’s shoulder.

“Well… I better be doing uh…” the Arch-Sentinel stammered uncharacteristically, clearly taken aback by the details of the message

“Winch me down woman! I have urgent work to do!” he continued, reasserting his cantankerous temperament and vigorously itching at his ear

“Of course sir” Zalu said through gritted teeth.

She began turning a wooden crank that slowly lowered the hammock until it reached the ground. With great effort the enormous man lifted himself out of it.

“Girl, I need you to make some arrangements for me” he drew close and whispered these words conspiratorially

“What do you need me to do sir?” Zalu said, betraying her undisguised intrigue

He snatched the beetle from her shoulder and then whispered something to it. What he said softly to the insect in that moment was inaudible to Zalu but despite this she could hardly hide her curiosity. After finishing whispering he hastily foisted the insect back onto Zalu. She posted it back inside it’s little wooden box and then looked at the Arch-Sentinel as if to say; I’m listening.

“Listen to me closely, because I’m only going to say this once.” Zalu leant I’m closer, ensuring she caught every word “Go to Stalakk canton’s water repository after tonight’s curfew starts.” he said. Zalu cringed at the mention of Stalakk, one of many interconnecting caves, inhabited by the poor, that together constitute the sprawling under-city. Their water repositories are jealously guarded by the city authorities and it wouldn’t be easy for. Zalu to get past them. “I’ll make sure Stalakk’s guards don’t bother you. Go to the repository and ask for Jasper, they’ll know who you mean. When you meet him simply give him that messenger beetle and leave promptly.” he finished relaying his instructions then abruptly limped off to the gossamer curtain that led into his study.

“Why are you still here? Didn’t I make myself clear? Bugger off.” he boomed noticing Zalu was still stood semi-motionless

“Right away sir” she said, then curtseyed and exited the room.

Back in the corridor Zalu reflected on her new assignment. Ferrying messenger bugs to and fro was a daily occurrence for her but never before had she been asked to take one to the under-city, let alone to Stalakk canton which was a particularly rough area even for the under-city. Unsavoury people could be found in Stalakk, so she couldn’t help wondering why the highly esteemed Arch-Sentinel would wish to strike up a correspondence with one of its residents. Later, as she wandered through the over-city’s tree-lined arboretum in the direction of the under-city, she swivelled her head from side to side. When she was absolutely sure she was alone she slid behind a palm tree and clicked open the little box. The messenger beetle crawled out sleepily. Intense curiosity mixed with hatred of the Arch-Sentinel made Zalu make up her mind to lift the insect to her her ear-hole and encourage it to head inside with a gentle prod.

“Go on, it’s okay” she said coaxingly

The insect reluctantly obliged. Zalu felt spindly, hairy legs brush against the walls of her ear canal. She cringed involuntarily at the sensation. Deeper and deeper it went, like a prospector in a mineshaft until it finally reached her eardrum. She then heard the insect start relaying it’s message; a perfect mimic of the Arch-Sentinel’s voice reverberated in her ear canal.

“Dear Jasper, my most trusted friend.” it began “I am contacting you to arrange a contract. The target in question is Morcaria, a miserable little eyesore in the south. I suspect it to be harbouring heretics, and I wish to erect a fortress on the land it currently occupies, so it is most improper that the settlement continues to exist. Myself and my advisors would be personally grateful if you could deal with it. I’ll assign a detachment of Sentinels to assist you, but make sure you send your best man. It is essential that this task be carried out with the utmost discretion. Obviously, you understand that if the citizenry realised our role in this, then they’d certainly mount an insurrection. I know neither of us want that. The money will be paid in full upon the completion of the task. Regards, your loyal friend the Arch-Sentinel”

Zalu stood silent for a long time after it finished, her mouth agape.