[A training drill gone wrong! Of all the absurd claims to make! How dare they treat the Conglomerate this way? I’ll set an embargo on them, I’ll establish tariffs. They won’t be able to import a wheel of cheese when I’m done with them!]

Eran is seriously upset at the treatment she’s received from the golgari. She just returned to the fleet after heading ashore to negotiate the terms of our stay, and to demand an explanation for the giant rocks that flew our way.

It would appear she isn’t satisfied with the response.

[I warned you they wouldn’t be friendly. Relations between us and the golgari are probably worse than those between us and the ka’armodo. Would I describe it as open warfare? Not really. But it’s close.]

She stares up at me and points an accusatory finger.

[Whatever their attitude towards you, it shouldn’t matter because they aren’t hosting the Colony, they are hosting the Brathian Island Conglomerate! As a premier trading and merchant cooperative, we have agreements with every major power in the fourth stratum. And they agreed that we would be allowed to come here!]

[Did you tell them you’d be bringing ten thousand ants along for the ride?]

[Of course we did!] she throws her arms up, still visibly furious. [Trying to conceal that sort of information would have led to a disaster. They’ve been perfectly aware of who would be part of this trade mission.]

That doesn’t mean they didn’t plan on being hostile when we got here…. I don’t bother to point it out to Eran, I’m sure she’s perfectly aware. Part of her anger is probably because she realised this exact point. The golgari only allowed us to come so they could spit in our faces.

I mean, rude, but not all that surprising.

[We can just leave?] I suggest. [Is there really a need for us to subject ourselves to this treatment? I’ve no doubt it’s only going to get worse.]

She considers it, seriously considers it, which is astounding to me. I’ve come to understand that a brathian passing up the chance to wheel and deal is like an ant refusing to tickle a grub. Absurd! Unthinkable!

[We will proceed with the mission,] she says finally. [We may be able to salvage something from this, no matter how those rock-heads treat us. If not, we will have tried. They are bound by many treaties when it comes to trade and interacting with my people, I’m confident we will be safe. However, just in case, Marzban, I want you and your people to take every precaution. I know this will be difficult for you. I apologise.]

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The scarred warrior offers a crisp salute.

[Not to worry, Eran. My people will make sure we stay safe.]

I’m not exactly worried about the brathians, I’m confident they are going to be safe, it’s my siblings that I’m worried about.

[Do we know what arrangements they are allowing for me and mine? How many are allowed into the mountain?]

At my question, Eran loses some of her fire and looks distinctly uncomfortable.

[They only want a hundred inside.]

[A hundred.]

[Yes.]

….

When was the last time a hundred ants were on their own anywhere? This is intolerable! And who’s going to be in more danger, the hundred in the mountain, or the nine thousand, nine hundred who are stuck in the boats?!

Ugh. This sucks.

[I’m going to need to talk to Sloan about this,] I say, firmly.

[Anthony… we will make sure—]

[I’ll be talking to Sloan about what we decide to do,] I cut her off, not trying to be rude. [I’m sorry, but this is a family decision. We’ll let you know what we decide.]

Moored in the shadow of the sheer enormity of Greystone, I wait a little while as Sloan is brought over to my tub. For good measure, Cobalt comes with her, and I can tell that the carver is enamoured with the unnatural mountain.

“No, we are not building an absurd pillar to heaven,” I tell Cobalt immediately.

“Eldest, where on Pangera is heaven? The third? And no, we would never do this, but it is impressive, you have to admit.”

I sure do.

“Look, they’re only going to allow a hundred ants into the mountain, everyone else is stuck on boats. I don’t trust the golgari as far as I can throw them… wait, I can throw them really far…. I don’t trust the golgari, they’re going to try something. If we decide to go ahead with this, then I’m going to stay on the boat.”

I figure I’ll be able to protect over nine thousand ants out here, but only a hundred in there. It’s not a difficult calculation.

This sends Sloan and Cobalt into a period of deep thought, their antennae waving as they consider their options.

“What do the brathians want to do?” Cobalt asks.

“What do you think? They want to trade.”

More thinking.

“We will have to go through with it, but I am similarly concerned about security,” Sloan declares. “We can’t let our trading partner down, and they know more about this sort of thing than we do. However, I suggest that the hundred who go inside consist of mostly soldiers, and the cavalry. That way, their human partners can go inside with them.”

Makes sense, I suppose. We get more people inside while still only sending a hundred ants.

“Will it be an issue if we don’t send that many carvers inside?” I ask Cobalt.

“It would be if we were trying to conduct normal business,” she replies, “but we are only making a show of it, I suspect, then turning around and getting out safely. I agree with Sloan, this is the better option.”

“Guess that means I’m stuck on the boat. Dammit. Good luck to you, then. Hopefully, it all works out.”