Tia frowned, squinting at the bare expanse of rock in front of her. Was that a scratch? Something coming from an non-natural cause? It was hard to be sure, especially in the dim light. She might be Hivekind, but making out details at this level of illumination was still difficult.

Instead, she reached out her hand and brushed against the rock, trying to follow its contours with her fingers. Probably just a natural chip. It was definitely weathered enough to be pretty old even if it wasn’t.

Tia stepped back, rubbing her eyes - with the hand not covered in fine dust and the residue of underground fungi - and turned to her companions. “This should be stable enough,” she told them. “We can blow it up as soon as we’re out of range.”

They nodded and got started with the preparations without her having to say anything else. Tia appreciated the competence of her small team. She hadn’t worked with all of them for long, but they’d been down here for a while and mostly worked on the tunnels the Hive had dug all through this part of the mountains.

Now, their real target were the gnomes’ tunnels, but some skill transferred. Especially since they were going to create a passage connecting to their enemies’ own network.

Tia hung back and watched as they applied their Skills carefully in the proper order, occasionally pausing to place some dynamite. She double-checked to make sure that it was handled and situated properly. Not that she was really concerned, they’d come a long way with their explosives, but it never hurt to be extra careful.

Then they all stepped back and Tia headed to their military escort. It was only an advance detachment of the army that would soon make their way through the tunnels, staffed with high-level drones.

“You still insist on coming with us?” Tim asked her, raising an eyebrow and giving her a look.

She wondered how he’d known what she was thinking, maybe he caught more from the psychic link than she thought she’d let show, but she only shrugged. “I’m not letting this chance go, Tim,” she told him. “Besides, you’ll probably need me.”

Tim snorted, but she could see he was also smiling a little. He was evidently concerned for her, but Tia could take care of herself, and the Hive always took care of its sapient drones, anyway. It was the Swarm Drones that would bear the brunt of the attack, like they always did. This time, that meant almost exclusively War Drones, since it wasn’t exactly a good environment for Winged Drones.

She paced around a little as they waited, not necessarily because she was nervous, but to work off a bit of the excess energy she felt. Tim kept close to her and the other engineers, though she’d be surprised if he wasn’t a lot more nervous than he let on. The others, as well. Tia looked through the psychic link, chatting with a few of them and trying to calm their nerves. They had a few younger drones in the area today who didn’t really remember the first war against the gnomes (or the first part of this one, depending on how you counted it), and she suspected even the older ones were a little nervous about these next few steps.

Personally, Tia was eager to get started and make progress before the Delvers showed up, if they were going to. But from what Regina had said, it did sound like they’d be giving them help against the gnomes soon enough.

Everyone’s ready, and we’ve checked that there are no gnomish sentries in places they shouldn’t be, Ben finally told them over the psychic link, showing a hint of his anticipation. You’re cleared to proceed.

Understood, Tim answered, smiling tightly. Tia?

Detonation in one minute, she told them, broadcasting the warning to everyone around them as well. Tim was starting to give orders to a few others, but she ignored him, focused on the countdown and on ensuring her part worked out. Ten, nine … finally it reached the end, one … go.

When their carefully-placed detonators went off, it wasn’t quite at the same moment, to her ongoing irritation. But they were only staggered by fractions of a second, not enough to disrupt her calculations.

Tia closed her eyes, just to be sure, and watched through the perspective of a few Swarm Drones they’d placed a little closer. This time, they hadn’t used any of the experimental detonators she’d been working on, just well-tested versions in conjunction with a Class Skill one of the Workers had gotten, which triggered it and allowed them to time the detonation much better. It did mean they were standing close enough to feel the earth shake, and she bent her knees and swayed a bit, trying to absorb the impact. Beside her, Tim barely looked moved at all, the lucky bastard.

They’d placed the explosives they had used very carefully, in conjunction with small tunnels they’d already dug, using magic and Skills, and following what they could sense of the rock’s structure and composition. Most importantly, though, there was a gnomish tunnel just far enough away from this particular face of the mountain to make getting to it by other means infeasible.

You got it, Ida told her, putting together the information from several scouting Swarm Drones and a few sapient ones with applicable Skills as quickly as possible. There should be an unbroken passage to the target tunnel, although it’s narrowed at one point by what I guess is debris.

Tia exhaled in relief and nodded, quickly passing the information on to the others. She focused on the picture Ida was drawing for them in the psychic link, examining the layout of the tunnels and the results of their efforts. It should all work out.

The operation is a go, Tim told everyone over the psychic link. Start in three, two, one … go, go, go in!

On cue, the War Drones Tia was using as mobile reconnaissance started moving. They were some of the first, but a quick check in the psychic link showed the wave of War Drones coming just behind them. Tim had put older, higher-level ones in front, and Chase and a few other sapient Swarm Drones were also pretty far ahead compared to the Warriors. This was one location where smaller size would come in handy, in addition to the Skills they tended to get to empower their other Swarm Drones.

Tia watched them head into the rocks, bouncing on her feet impatiently for her own turn to head in. It was cramped, dark and the air choked with dust, the footing so uneven she was glad they could go on all fours.

There had been no gnomish sentries, but it didn’t take long for the first drones to encounter hostiles, who were clearly on their way to check out the origin of the explosions. A few single gnomes came first, probably scouts running to the potential threat, and were quickly overwhelmed by groups of drones. Then, just as they started getting into the broader tunnels, came full units of gnomes.

Tia started pacing, glancing around her. If she hadn’t known where the other drones were, she would have had a hard time making them out. As it was, though, she knew their hiding spots and assembly points, and even without the psychic link, it was obvious that the forces waiting out here had been seriously reduced. Many of them were now in the tunnels, advancing on where they believed the nearest gnomish checkpoints to be. They were on the clock, now, and they intended to get as far into the gnomes’ networks as they could before they were stopped, or the enemy tried to pry them out again.

“Tia?” Tim asked. “You ready?”

She glanced at him and nodded, suppressing the excited smile on her face. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

They took a few other drones with them, of course, as an escort, but the tight confines of the tunnels limited the size of any group. Tia didn’t mind. One of the older War Drones was carrying a shuttered lamp for them, the light inconsistent and bouncing all around the place, but enough for her to see their surroundings. She walked carefully, telling herself that hurrying too much would just lead to a broken ankle. The beginning, just as they entered the tunnels bitten into the rock, was the worst part, going downhill. After that, the tunnel leveled off a bit.

The two of them had to slow down around the point where they emerged into the main gnomish passageway, the scattered rock and detritus too much of a hindrance. There were a few drones here, staying behind to watch the intersection, who were also working to remove it and clear the way. Tia helped with a use of her own Excavation Skill in passing, but didn’t stop. She hurried to catch up to Tim, who to her annoyance was a bit more sure-footed, and then went further into the tunnels, checking on the other drones here occasionally over the psychic link.

One main entrance wasn’t going to be enough, but it wasn’t going to need to be for long.

Tia hurried after Tim, carefully making sure to keep a good distance between them and the other drones positioned to secure their backs without impeding them. She had some experience with it by now, even if this was the first time she’d gone this far into gnomish tunnels. The Hive had made a few forays into them in the last part of this war, but they’d never gone very deep. She was curious to see what had changed.

She didn’t have to wait long for the opportunity. The others were progressing pretty well and they’d planned well enough that she never really got close to any combat. The drones cleared the path ahead aptly. But it still didn’t take long, walking at a good pace, to reach the first major intersection and then the first outpost the gnomes had erected here. More of a camp, really.

They were currently a bit further south than the first city they’d seen, where the gnomes had turned on the Hive, and deeper in the mountains. This settlement, and she thought it deserved the name, wasn’t nestled in a valley and partly open to the air like that city, but entirely underground. She suspected they’d repurposed an existing cave; the passage leading further west definitely indicated as much.

There were a few buildings, made of brick rather than wood, but it was mostly open. She guessed they didn’t have to worry about rain down here. Two tunnels led away from the cavern, while the passage she’d just seen was scouted by a few other drones. Tia stepped inside more slowly, turning around and examining the place. It was interesting from a structural point of view, with a kind of upper tier in the walls of the cave wall, and a small waterfall in one corner, trickling into what looked like siltier ground and disappearing into deeper layers. It could help support their drones, although it wouldn’t be enough to water all of them if they wanted to place a large force here. There would be enough space for such a base, though, if they squeezed a bit. And more importantly, space for other endeavors, too, she thought.

“Well, what do you think?” Tim asked, stepping up beside her and slipping an arm around her shoulder.

Tia absentmindedly tickled him with a work-limb (not that he’d feel it much through the shell) and smiled as she looked around. “Oh, this will do quite well.”

Tim grumbled and tugged her closer to him for a moment, she dodged his hand at her head, and then he let go and stepped away. “Do you have everything you need?” he asked more seriously.

Tia looked around again and nodded. It should be safe, bring in everything, she told the others over the psychic link.

While they waited, she examined their surroundings again, checking in with the Scouts and Warriors leading the units currently positioned around them, just to be sure. It was still secure. The fighting was picking up some distance away, but she reminded herself not to concern herself too much with that; it wasn’t her job.

“It’s getting more heated,” Tim murmured. “I’m going to focus on the battle for a bit, okay?”

“Give them hell, kick their short gnomish asses,” she absentmindedly encouraged.

Tim snorted and moved a few steps away, so he’d be out of the way, then went still as she could tell he focused entirely on the psychic link. She concentrated on the battle again herself for a moment, then let out a relieved breath as she realized they were winning. Tim was clearly coordinating the movement of several units through a few adjacent tunnels they’d found, encircling a larger unit of gnomes, at least a few hundred relatively high-level soldiers. They probably weren’t the only reinforcements sent, but they’d be the biggest threat.

Then she noticed the first War Drones coming in carrying a few wooden barrels and she tore her attention away, smiling as she hurried over to the entrance, already considering the best placements, including for the next few loads of supplies they’d get.

They’d need mages to conjure some water, but if they decided to go with that, she could probably turn one side of this cave into a reservoir, which would help. The Hive had several choices, and they’d agreed to keep their options open; how the gnomes reacted to this attack would inform their reactions as well.

Flooding the tunnels was obvious. It probably wouldn’t be decisive in a world with magic and the System, there would be magic and Skills for holding one’s breath for extended periods of time or even breathing water, but it should stop a full-on assault from the gnomes.

They could also use gas, or add one of several possible ‘supplements’ to the water. Tia was kind of curious, in an academic way, to see the result of that. Even if it would be unpleasant to be on the receiving end.

If they managed to flood the cities … well, Regina wouldn’t go for that. She frowned on genocide or excessive civilian casualties, and Tia agreed. Still, it was something Tia put on her list to prepare for, just in case. Figuring out the gnomes’ countermeasures and how to circumvent them would be fun, but she could use it for other means as well.

What did it say about her that she was kinda excited to prosecute this war again, Tia wondered?