ã€ŠFlight of The Apiaryã€‹


 Ch. 1: Boarded

    Despite the utter chaos that normally accompanied such a boarding action, the human appeared unperturbed, slowly and dutifully continuing about their daily tasks as if they had barely even registered that their ship had been taken over at all.

    The raiders who had commandeered the Earth ship were gleeful at how little resistance they had encountered. The ship appeared to be little more than a drone craft, the only living sentient aboard being the human, who offered no resistance and no fight to prevent them from taking over such spoils.

    However, the raiders were also struggling to determine how best to enrich themselves off of their newly acquired prize, as the ship lacked weapons, technological secrets, and barely possessed little more than a functional but unostentatious reactor and hyperspeed array. The hyperspeed array had been carefully disabled, and from what their engineer could tell it was work done well before the ship had been boarded. Fortunately, it would prove to be a simple, if somewhat time-consuming, repair to make.

    The only cargo appeared to be great vats of some kind of viscous fluids, one clear and one amber colored, but chemically they appeared almost identical apart from some impurities they could detect in the amber liquid. The ship was also curiously absent of recreational facilities or even a mess hall, instead having a wastefully large space that appeared to have been converted into some kind of greenhouse, with hundreds of brightly-colored plants that were apparently native to Earth but carried little value or use medically or commercially apart from minimal aesthetic value.

    It appeared to the captain of these pirates that they had essentially stolen a worthless trash barge, especially as some of these strange liquid cargo appeared to be contaminated and impure. The captain was absolutely livid, and so their first mate and second in command of the raiders¡¯ vessel was attempting with limited success to browbeat the unperturbed human.

    ¡°You must have something of value on this ship?¡± she said in frustration, gesturing with a loaded laser pistol beneath the wrinkled man''s nose. ¡°Some kind of new weapon or technology, something we can sell instead of all this clear and yellow crap?¡±

    The human, aggravatingly, just chuckled quietly as he pruned at an errant rose stem. They had initially manacled him and contained him, until he insisted that he''d be allowed to continue his duties, else the ship¡¯s integrity could suffer. Sure enough, after less than an hour of confinement some minor alarms began going off and the ship started listing heavily to one side. He was allowed to continue his duties, but to the pirates'' bafflement it appeared to be just minor upkeeping, cleaning here and there. They never saw him touch a control panel or unscrew so much as a single circuitry manifold, and yet the ship''s errors seem to correct themselves and the vessel righted itself.

    ¡°So you think this is funny, do you?¡± the first mate barked, both sets of jaws snarling and dripping with anticipation of being able to end the infuriating human¡¯s existence as soon as they figured out how to make this capture worth the trouble.

    ¡°Oh, I think I just have a unique view of the situation,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Besides, I''m just a caretaker, I''m afraid. I wouldn''t know much about the inner workings or anything valuable within.¡±

    The first mate narrowed her eye, but was distracted by a call from one of her crewmates who had been messing with a panel on the side of the greenhouse. ¡°That contaminated gunk is in here too!¡±

    Loping over, the first mate could see that indeed more of the contaminated yellow fluid was almost dripping from the panel that had been removed. She thought she saw some signs of movements as well, small scuttling creatures, vermin of some kind that shrank away from the edges. She was stunned, but then began a rolling bark of laughter as the confused crewmate stared at her.

    ¡°Your ship is infested! You''ve got some manner of pest that is polluting your cargo and stuffing up your engineering; I''m surprised the ship is still able to fly with all the gunk I can see in there,¡± she said, reaching in and pulling out a piece of what appeared to be effluence or nesting material from the pests.

    For the first time almost since they had boarded the vessel, they saw a flinch from the human, who winced as she tossed the pale geometric-patterned wedge of waste material off to one side. Chuckling at the human''s newfound sensitivity, the first mate kicked the glossy chunk across the metal flooring to slide to the huma¡¯s feet.

    ¡°You say you¡¯re a caretaker: Why don''t you make yourself useful, and clean out these panelways? We won''t be able to do much to make repairs with all this junk in the way.¡±

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    The human frowned. ¡°I can''t do that. The bees wouldn''t like it.¡±

    Not recognizing the word, the first mate strode forward, catching the human by the shoulder and thrusting up to pin him against the side of one of the racks of vibrant earth plants. Her lungs were already beginning to get irritated from the small puffs of spores that the plants appear to emit, causing her to cough and growl in frustration.

    ¡°Oh, so you care about the vermin contaminating your ship? I''m surprised humans ever made off your own world if you''re so unwilling to inconvenience a mindless ¡°pest.*¡±

    As she spoke, a bee landed on her gesturing hand, and she laughed. Grinning cruelly to the human, she smashed it between two outstretched fingers, saying ¡°How do you feel now, weakling? I''m squishing up one of your beloved pests. Won¡¯t my captain be so proud of me for-¡±

    She cut off with a screech of pain, shaking her hand ineffectually as she howled in anger and fury. The human was released, dropping to the floor with a groan, as the first mate examined her hand, still howling and roaring with agony.

    ¡°What is this? What did that thing do to me?¡±

    The human smiled grimly. ¡°I think you''ll find that while I may not possess much in the way of defenses, my crewmates are not so ill equipped.¡±

    ¡±Indeed.¡±

    For the first time since they had boarded the vessel, the raiders heard a voice come to life on the ship''s intercoms, a humming and many-layered speech that spoke almost in perfect unison.

    Looking up towards the vaulted ceiling of the room, he intoned ¡°Queen and Kin, I think we''ve entertained these guests long enough. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡±Agreed, caretaker. Are you prepared to be our harvestman?¡±

    The old human smiled, a tinge of sadness at the corners of his mouth. ¡°I am, but I ask that you act with precision, instead of anger.¡±

    ¡±As you wish, caretaker.¡± Then the voice cut out, and a deafening hum began to fill the corridors of the ship.

    As the caretaker returned to pruning the flower garden, screams soon drowned out the omnipresent humming, until those too faded. Noticing the return to silence, the caretaker carefully pulled a tray with a white linen cloth across it on a small cart, and began slowly pushing it along the corridors.

    He had a small dustpan and broom, and as he came across the handful of bodies of deceased pirates who had not managed to escape to their ship and flee back into space, surrounding them were dozens or even hundreds of bees as well, perished from their valiant effort to defend their home.

    He carefully swept the bees up, diligently arranging them on the white linen and careful rose. Then, after completing his rounds, he carefully draped the edges of the linen across the ranks of the dead and placed it within a wooden box, a facsimile of the hives that were once built on distant Earth, before carefully placing it within the launch tube. He keyed in some commands to the keypad and the ship oriented slightly, before jettisoning the stylized coffin, the distant destination of this system''s sun promising an inevitable cremation.

    The voice of the hive returned, saying quietly ¡±This is well, harvestman. We are again grateful for your service.¡±

    He smiled, eyeing where an errant laser shot had burned a hole through an electrical conduit and the wiring within, seeing bees carefully swarming and repairing the metal wiring before protecting it with a coating of wax. ¡°I am simply a caretaker, Queen and Kin. And I thank you again for allowing me aboard your vessel as such.¡±

    Then his eyes returned to the forms of the dead pirates, still slowly bleeding out onto the floors. He sighed, and began dragging their corpses into the airlock, throwing them in an unceremonious heap before venting them into the void of space.

    The voice of the queen and hive spoke up once more. ¡±We are nearing completion of our conversion of the sugar vats into honey reserves for our voyage. Are you prepared for the journey?¡±

    He nodded, stepping over to the stasis pod and running a hand affectionately along the top. ¡°I am, Queen and Kin. Will you safeguard me as I sleep?¡±

    There was an affirmative and reassuring buzz. The small size and exoskeleton meant that the bees could not travel safely in hyperspace, instead relying on powerful engines and slingshot maneuvers to slowly but steadily make their ways across the stars. Still, as many times before, the voice of the hive was concerned about him.

    ¡±Do you not miss your own kin? Your slumbers exceed their lifetimes, and it may be many more centuries before you walk amongst the grass of Earth once more.¡±

    ¡°We had a saying once that ¡®Blessed is he who plants trees under whose shade he will never sit.¡¯ I was fortunate enough to both plant those proverbial trees through my actions and the family I helped raise, and now I shall be able to see what they have become and what good they have founded in the world in my absence.¡±

    As he sat back on a small metal wicker chair in the garden, a tired bee came to rest on his finger. Dabbing some water from his glass, he offered the droplet to the weary insect, who began to drink it with a wiggle of excitement.

    He nodded with gratitude and offered a word of thanks as a cluster of bees buzzed over, struggling with the weight of their cargo. They deposited a thumb-sized wad of bee pollen into his hand, a welcome and delicious treat he savored as he sat back and enjoyed hearing the humming of the honeybees filling the garden once again.

    It was unusual to be a human kept by bees, but it was an arrangement he would make again without hesitation.

 Ch. 2: Adrift

    Some time later...

    ¡°So what do you think we''re going to find?¡± one of the salvage crew asked the other. The speaker was a small spindly creature, spider-like at a glance but with an odd flexibility not seen in Earth arachnids.

    Accompanying him was the muscle of the crew, a hulking life form whose people grew up on a dense high-gravity moon, and as a result was able to shoulder a ridiculous amount of weight before she showed signs of slowing or tiring.

    ¡°I''m not sure either,¡± she rumbled, ducking low to fit into the passageway. It was certainly not a comfortably-spacious ship for her species, but she found that few craft were typically suited to creatures of her size. However, her typically dour mood brightened as she lifted her ponderous head, breathing in great gulps of the stale, recycled air, and murmuring ¡°Something smells like food.¡±

    ¡°What, like cooking?¡± the smaller one asked, hopping up to perch on the front of her snout.

    She snorted at the ticklish sensation, and made it click of disagreement. ¡°No, not cooked, but sweet. A carbon ring, short chains, and some unusual enzymes if I''m not mistaken.¡±

    Her companion blinked, then shrugged. ¡°If you say so.¡± Their species lacked olfactory organs or indeed much of anything to do with chemical ingestion or manipulation, instead relying on a sort of bootleg photosynthesis, sunning themselves and using the efficiently-retained heat to power their needs for hours at a time.

    Still, they shivered and made a hiss of annoyance. ¡°It''s cold in here; Let''s get this over with.¡± He pulled up a small holo-slate, and a blinking marker appeared in the passageway of the ship''s hall.

    The lights were dim, the energy conservation mode having been engaged for untold ages given the layer of still dust on everything. Both salvage crew were grateful that they had received a map at all, for often the most dangerous part of the job was finding out that a damaged vessel had a weakened floor or wall that could threaten injury or decompression to the uncautious.

    ¡°Remember some of the human delegates had said there was both a rescue and recovery, and that would be paid for both. If we find any obstacles, best to be delicate about removing them.¡±

    His companion just grunted in affirmative, annoyed and self-conscious for feeling like she had done a remarkably-nimble job of avoiding crushing any of the protruding paneling or conduits thus far. She took another breath deep into the sensory pits in her muzzle and snorted, eyes narrowing. ¡°Something''s ahead. Doesn''t smell like the humans.¡±

    The smaller alien grasped their cutting torch defensively, as if a two-inch plasma flame would be sufficient to protect them from all the dangers his imagination could possibly conjure. Hopping up to follow the blinking path on the holo-slate, the indicator led to a closed door, a red glowing lock indicating that some part of the ship''s power was still engaged to keep this closed and secured.

    The spindly being reached out to tap on the control panel, but was met with no reaction. He was about to turn back to his companion when he yelped in surprise and pulled his hand back as the console seemed to come alive, a fuzzy layer of swarming and buzzing creatures coating it within moments.

    As the small alien took a step back, and then another out of fear and caution, the buzzing took on in a strangely purposeful quality, a pattern slowly emerging as the buzzing repeated, until the smaller alien suddenly recognized it in shock. It was speech, the same tongue as the humans used, but nearly unintelligible as the swarm of tiny crawling and even occasionally flying creatures carefully buzzed in unison. It appeared that they were attempting to say something, although even as the smaller crewmember watched, they could see a few of the creatures drooping and falling from the console, clearly exhausted by the effort.

    Finally the buzzing speech became clear enough their translators were able to kick in and parse the words. A weak, echoing and rough voice came through.

    ¡±Are you here to help, or hurt?¡±

    Before the spider-like alien could recover from their shock and respond, his companion spoke up, saying ¡°To help, always. Delegates from the federation of human worlds reached out to us about a distress signal they''d received, and the need for both the recovery and a rescue. I take it you are the rescue?¡±

    The voice did not return, but the buzzing seemed to increase in enthusiasm. She chuckled, and pulled forth a large canister that had been slung across her back, unscrewing the threaded seal on one end. After briefly glancing around their surroundings, she poured the contents into a makeshift basin formed from some pieces of scrap material she quickly and carefully bent with her own tentacles into shape.

    As she was tapping the last of the liquid from the canister, her companion found his voice again, saying excitedly ¡°The humans told us that this was good food you could use? Seems like simple hydrocarbon rings in some polar solvent, if my companion¡¯s nose here is anything go by, but it''s suitable food, no?¡±

    As if in answer, the walls seem to surge and hundreds of thousands of the small buzzing creatures issued forth, some flying but most crawling to the basin. As the two salvage workers watched in amazement, the creatures began methodically consuming the nearly gel-like thick solution. As as one wave of the diminutive creatures finished feeding, they seem to melt away to the side, effortlessly making room for the next, and the aliens could see those that fed appeared notably more energetic, testing wings and taking flights and in some cases even doing little excited circles and loop-de-loops with unexpected playfulness.

    After a time, the surge of creatures slowed to a trickle, even as the basin was nearly drained of the sweet syrup. The voice returned again, this time clear and strong, if still quiet and initially difficult for the translator to digest.

    ¡±We thank you for your swift arrival and this much-needed sustenance. Our own reserves were drained in the process of creating that which you still seek.¡±

    ¡°The recovery?¡± asked the smaller spindly creature. ¡°Are you saying that we''re here to recover some food reserves?¡± His tone was slightly disappointed, as the creature had been imagining all manner of unexplainable riches or mysterious artifacts, but he did his best to avoid sounding too dejected.

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    ¡±No, it is likely not suitable as food any longer; It is difficult to explain, but might be easier if you saw for yourselves.¡±

    Some of the creatures swarmed over the softly-glowing lock, and as a few of them disappeared into the recess of the mechanism, a few seconds later the light pinged to vibrant green, and with a clink and a hiss slid open.

    Within was a room lined with gardening supplies: small hand tools, gloves, stacked bags of potting soil, and a few hoppers full of mixed seeds. But what dominated the room was the structure at the center of it. It was large, coming more than halfway up the larger salvager¡¯s torso, and almost seemed to glow from within as the soft tan-white material caught the light of the few intact lights in the room. The structure was a hexagonal column in shape, capped off with a slowly-mounded dome, and at every angle it was covered with a very fine and precise texture of minute hexagons, the grid echoing the larger shape before them.

    But within, both aliens could see a form suspended in the center of the shape, something dark against the otherwise transparent-yellow contents. The two salvagers also felt and heard a hush fall over the swarm around them, as if this was a place of sanctity.

    Heedful of that change of tone, the smaller of the pair calmed himself and said carefully ¡°Will we be allowed to look inside? I think we need to know what we are recovering to make sure we move it safely and properly.¡±

    The hum of the swarm picked back up, as if a great discussion of many thousands of voices was being had in a form of language they had no hope of understanding. But at the end of it the echoing voice replied in unison.

    ¡°That is acceptable. Do not disturb the contents within, but we will reseal the container after you have opened it. The wax along the top can be easily parted with a hot implement such as the one you carry.¡±

    Nodding, the spider-like alien clambered forward, pulling out his cutting torch again but this time adjusting the flame width to be as thin as possible. Carefully he melted through the seal, a warm and rich sweet aroma wafting out and causing his companion to hum in appreciation. He leaned the hexagonal wax lid backwards, and within the amber liquid inside he could see the curled form of a human, wispy hair around their head and wrinkles clear along their exposed skin where the draped garments did not cover. They did not appear to have any kind of breathing, nor did they move or stir, and the salvager realized his suspicions earlier had been correct.

    ¡°So how long has this one been dead then?¡±

    The high of hummed and the buzzing voice had a mournful tone.

    ¡±The caretaker departed this world for the Garden of infinite Flowers nearly a hundred solar cycles ago.¡±

    The alien¡¯s eyes winded shock as it looked back to the human, who looked as if they could awaken any moment. Even aboard a clean, space-going vessel, there should have still been enough microorganisms both within the ship and within the deceased as well to have consumed them with rot and reduce them to inorganic support structures within a few solar cycles at most.

    His companion had lumbered up to look inside the hexagonal interment, and voiced the same thought aloud. ¡°How has he been so vividly preserved?¡± she asked, ¡°This does not smell like a volatile embalming mix.¡±

    ¡±No indeed. This is our nectar, the gift that we give to the humans in exchange for their aid and, once upon a time, their protection and guidance. We had just departed the Sol system, and the caretaker had spent nearly three solar cycles catching up and learning of what had become of his friends and family over the centuries he had been gone. But as we crossed into open space, we were struck by a solar pulse, ejected from a star so far away it could not be seen with the naked eye. It overloaded our systems, causing electronics to crash and his stasis pod to unseal.

    ¡±He did his best to help us repair the damage, send out distress call after distress call in every direction, as we''d so thoroughly lost our bearings and no navigational systems had survived the initial surge. We did our best to conserve resources; indeed, we had enough food and supplies that we would be able to weather ages adrift. But the human is solitary, not one of many in a cycle of birth and death, and he was aged for his species. Despite all of our care and attention, he passed. Before he crossed over into the Garden, he spoke of his lone regret, which was the hope to be buried with his family, descendants, and kin in a graveyard on Earth. Although he did not ask of us, we constructed this vessel to contain him and preserve him, so that his final wishes could be fulfilled.¡±

    ¡°And you just had all of this preservation fluid lying around?¡± asked the salvager, before being shushed for the interruption by his companion.

    The swarm of creatures appeared to be amused by the question. ¡±No, for this is actually something we produce. A refined nutrient mix, suitable for preservation of sustenance, or anything else for that matter. We donated a large swath of our reserves to this vessel, to offer our caretaker a gentle repose while we waited for aid to arrive. It reduced the number of cycles we would be able to weather in half, and we are fortunate you arrived when you did, for we would have only survived a scant few additional cycles, and even then not without massive losses towards what was left of our people.¡±

    The two salvagers nodded and the smaller carefully pushed the wax lid back into place. Immediately swarms of bees began resealing the container, and a few minutes later they were able to carefully slide it onto a anti-grav cart platform, the larger alien carefully pulling it behind her as she navigated her ways through the cramped and damaged ship, and back to the salvage crew¡¯s own vessel.

    <hr>

    ¡°Do you require any special accommodations before we depart? The human delegates had warned us of your sensitivity to hyper speed, so my companion and I have prepared stasis pods of our own for the journey to the nearest port of call.¡±

    The swarm had all followed them through, but a cluster landed in front of them, at the airlock back to the damaged ship they had abandoned.

    ¡±No, you have shown us the additional food reserves we will require, and we are already making progress to set up temporary quarters within the spaces of your ship, as well as performing minor repairs here and there where needed.¡±

    The two salvage members were surprised at how quickly the bees had taken to their ship, but were pleased to see a notable increase in engine core efficiency and a decrease in minor errors cropping up across their flight command console. Already there were large and looming white wax combs seeming to grow from the walls and ceiling near the corners of each of the rooms as the swarm settled in.

    The cluster at the airlock seemed to almost watch as the door sealed shut and their former home drifted back empty into the void.

    ¡°I am sorry about your ship,¡± the smaller alien offered, understanding how he might feel if he were suddenly forced to take refuge on someone else''s vessel and leave his familiar one behind. However, the swarm seemed determined and upbeat as it replied.

    ¡±Our kind is no stranger to relocation and adaptation.¡±

    As they spoke, the two aliens could see at the center of the cluster of nearest cluster of bees was one with a speck of brilliantly-colored iridescent paint, on an abdomen notably longer than the bees around them. The cluster of these bees flew over to perch atop the wax container with the preserved human within, and indeed this quickly seemed to be the spot that most of them began gathering at. Any bees not actively building combs within walls or performing repairs seem to cluster and swarm around it. Soon they had hidden any trace of the pale container beneath a mass of rippling and shifting minute bodies.

    ¡±Our kind has known since time immemorial that a home is not where you are, but who you surround yourself with.¡±

 Ch. 3: Intervention

    ¡°Not going to tell you again, little girl,¡± grunted the tallest and most numerous-armed of the three brutes staring down Mira. ¡°You can either give us your ration chips, or we can break you apart and take them for ourselves.¡±

    Mira glared at the three, and cursed herself for taking one of the back alleys through the waystation¡¯s outer ring. She had seen them behind her earlier when she had received her daily allotment of the ration chips, a common-sense courtesy offered to all residents of the waystation or any guests passing through. However, she had not seen them for some time afterwards, and had naively assumed that they had found another mark elsewhere to harass.

    Then one had stepped out in front of her, and another behind as she crossed through one of the cross-alleys, no one nearby to hear her even if she yelled for help. While she could the bustling trade row and the edges of colorful stalls and much heavier foot traffic, it generated enough noise that she would have to shout herself hoarse in order for the echoes to rise above the background din of the merchants peddling their wares.

    ¡°I''ve got my three chips for the day, same as any of you,¡± she shot back, glaring at the muggers.

    The leader of the trio chuckled mirthlessly, saying ¡°Yes, but it appears my friends have lost theirs or perhaps they were too hungry and ate it all up already. In either case, we need more, and yours will do nicely.¡± His voice lost the facsimile of playfulness as he said flatly and directly ¡°This is your last opportunity to give us those rations, before they have to scrape you off the walls.¡±

    In response, Mira just spat on the ground in front of the hulking alien, and retorted ¡°Eat glass, for all I care.¡±

    The leader of the muggers gaped in astonishment for a moment before he closed his mouth, and with a shrug sent a balled fist hurtling into her stomach. Mira coughed, gagging slightly at the sensation.

    One of the henchmen holding her arm against the corridor paneling sounded almost regretful as they said ¡°Best to just give up those chips now. I''ve seen him beat someone till they stopped breathing, just for giving him trouble.¡±

    The leader of the gang balled up a pair of scaled fists this time, but before he punched he paused. He narrowed his eyes and said ¡°Whoever the hell you are, scram. This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±

    Still almost bent over double, Mira looked up to see a massive vacuum suit, suitable for space walks in low atmosphere or hard vacuum conditions. It was for a large species, so massive that it scraped against the sides of the alleyway, and a curious sight given that the conditions within the waystation rings typically covered most species¡¯ respiration, temperature, and humidity needs. Those creatures that found the condition to be slightly off usually went for less bulky solutions, small supplemental gas tanks or lightweights liquid-saturated fabrics to stay moist.

    But while the figure was large, it did not appear to be armed, and the movements seemed somewhat uncoordinated, possibly inebriated to Mira''s untrained eye.

    ¡°You know friend, maybe you didn''t hear me, but it''s time for you to move along. Else I''m going to start asking after what tribute you''re going to give us for inconveniencing me.¡±

    The lumbering suit took a step forward. It was oddly quiet, the sound of fabric hitting the flooring with far less weight behind it then Mira would have guessed. The leader of the ruffians also seemed perplexed at the lack of weight from such a massive shape, stepping forward and flicking out the fire knife that he had been threatening the human with. It was a few inches long, with a crackling and low-quality plasma emitter providing a stuttering crimson wedge of energy barely as long and wide as his hand. He waved it towards the suited figure who paused but did not retreat at the display of the weapon.

    Grateful that someone had taken an interest in her situation, Mira was still worried that whoever this seemingly-confused bystander was, they did not appear to be prepared for violence, and she would have loathed to be responsible for someone else getting hurt because of her stubbornness.

    ¡°Listen to the scaly snot-ball there,¡± she said, the leader whipping around to glare at her, a promise of revenge for the insult clearly visible in the way he played with and gripped the crackling energy knife.

    The large figure turned to regard her, and despite the opaque visor hiding their face, Mira felt suddenly exposed and scrutinized. She managed to pull a hand-free, waving away at the suited figure before her arm was caught and pinned back in place as she said ¡°Go on: I don''t want you getting hurt too. Please.¡±

    The large figure seemed to take a step back, and the gang leader snickered. ¡°Just goes to show that because you''re big doesn''t mean you can''t also be a coward,¡± he said chuckling wetly, before turning back to Mira and flipping the knife around in his hand. ¡°Now, what was that about a scaly snot ball? I don¡¯t take too kindly to being insulted by those who owe me their dues.¡±

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    As he flipped the blade around, Mira clenched her eyes shut, wishing that her search hadn''t come to an end here on his backwater station. But then an odd clomping sound caused her to look up, just in time to see the astonished gang members being smashed into by the suited figure, who had become galloping down the hallway, building momentum even as they scraped against the sides and protruding panels on the hallway.

    While the creature was clearly not as dense as one might expect, there was still sufficient speed and mass to knock the gang members over, spilling them against a set of empty metal storage crates that were now filled with refuse and rotting food scraps. The soft-spoken follower who had warned Mira took this opportunity to escape, sprinting down the hallway towards the distant ring of the market street, dripping garbage juices from the bits of spoiled fruit hanging from him.

    The other gang member quickly brushed off the scraps of packaging and herb-dust canisters that had fallen on her before getting to her feet, but although she''d squared her shoulders up to fight the interloper, she had paused, not daring to approach Mira as the enormous suited shape loomed. It began to rear onto its hind legs, lashing out with the front ones.

    They didn''t make contact, but it was enough of a show that the gang member took a step back. She instead went to help lift up her leader, who instead swore at her and swatted away the offered hand, getting heavily to his feet as something pink and clumpy oozed down his vest. His knife had skidded away down the hallway and he was unarmed, glaring daggers instead at the intruder who appeared to ignore him. The suited alien turned his best they could in the slightly-wider alcove until they faced Mira.

    ¡±Are you safe, little human came?¡±

    The voice that crackled from the speaker on the suit was echoing in harmony, as if hundreds of distinct voices spoke as one.

    She nodded, still confused as to who her savior was. ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°And you are-?¡±

    ¡±We are collective, but you may address us as Queen and Kin.¡±

    Mara nodded slowly, before asking ¡°Why did you save me?¡±

    The lumbering figure lifted its head towards her, visored face still inscrutable, and spoke patiently again.

    ¡±We have a connection with humans, and saw an opportunity for us to help-¡±

    The voice cut out as the unified words became a buzz of confusion , pain, and surprise. Shocked, Mira could see that the gang leader had recovered his knife, and had plunged it into the chest of this figure¡¯s spacesuit.

    But to both the human and the alien¡¯s surprise, the figure did not immediately fall, nor did the wound begin to bleed. Instead, insects began to pour out, dozens of them, buzzing and humming as the air filled with the swarming creatures.

    A few stings was all it took to send the other gang minion fleeing, screaming down the hall as she slapped at her already-visible welts along her skin, but the leader just chuckled. Mira could see many of the tiny creatures all across the scales, but it appeared they were too thick to have any impact.

    ¡°Well well,¡± he said with cruel glee, ignoring Mira for the moment to focus on the deflating suit and the growing swarm of insects that had filled it. ¡°Something tells me that you little pests aren''t going to be especially fond of clouds of acid.¡±

    Mira could see his chest and neck flaps begin to engorge, filling with a bile that she had seen others of his species use before, spraying out a mist that could dissolve cloth and burn skin.

    However, as he as the gang leader turned, chuckling thickly as his glands filled with the dangerous concoction, there was a loud THUNK, and he groaned and slumped forward. Behind him, Mira sighed in relief, slowly lowering the metal storage crate she had hit him with, and grateful that it appeared to have been heavy enough to finally put him down for the count.

    Almost immediately the swarming insects rallied, going from an indistinct mass to begin collecting back at the suit. As she watched, it began re-inflating it as if a child''s balloon being pumped. She could also see the cauterized cut in the suit was knitted back together with some sort of organic glue the insects spat out, until soon the only sign that the suit had been sundered at all was a thin lumpy line of off-colored paste along the cut.

    A pair of the buzzing insects hadn''t managed to make it back into the suit before it was sealed shut, and gently Mira held out her hand, giggling and flinching but then standing firm as she felt them tickle on her hand. The massive suit leaned forward, the visor sliding open to reveal a solid mass of insects swirling and churning within. She held out her hand, and the two that had rested on her flew off to join the others before the visor slid back down.

    ¡±Our thanks for the aid, human.¡±

    There was a loud cacophony of uncoordinated buzzing, and then a moment later the voice spoke again.

    ¡±A consensus has been reached: We are seeking one of your kind, to help us rebuild, for our Hive and caretaker were both lost. Would you be willing to aid us?¡±

    Glancing around at the dingy alley, Mira nodded, holding up a finger as she said ¡°I have some conditions though, as I''m not here just for fun. I''m looking for something, but if you''re willing to help me find it, I''ll gladly help you deal with obstacles like this scaly blob of snot,¡± she said giving the unconscious gang leader a kick, eliciting a groan from his still form.

    ¡±We thank you caretaker. Now begins our first task, for we must find a new ship to rebuild within. This form was given to us by another kindly being, but it is not suitable to venture between the stars in.¡±

    Glancing out towards the docking ring, she could barely make out the shape of her missing parents¡¯ research vessel, right where she had last parked it.

    Mira smiled. ¡°You''re always welcome to crash at my place!¡± she said, taking the suit by one hand and leading them down the passage towards the docking ring.

 Ch. 4: Anchor

    Stepping up to the airlock, Mira proudly opened the entrance to her ship and current home. The passageway was small, and it was clearly evident that the swarm would not be capable of passing through in the bulky vacuum suit.

    ¡°You''re welcome aboard,¡± she said quietly, noticing the polite hesitation on the part of the bees.

    ¡°Thank you. We will begin disgorging immediately.¡±

    The visor for the suit helmet opened, and a dark mass of bees flooded out, swarming past Mira, who had to stop herself from the instinctive flinching at all the tiny buzzing bodies bumping past her, but she could see the alien vacuum suit was collapsing rapidly as the mass within it flew out.

    However, there were a few pockets here and there of that still bulged with masses of bees that were not able to escape the multiple arm, or possibly leg, sleeves, instead forming wiggling lumps that were not strong or numerous enough to push their way out.

    ¡°Oh, let me help you with that,¡± Mira said, stepping forward and quickly glancing by her feet to make sure that she was not stepping on anyone who had landed. She picked up and gently shook the ends of the discarded garment, the last few dozen clusters of bees circling gratefully as they made their way out of the suit and flew past her face.

    ¡°We would appreciate your assistance in stowing the vacuum suit, as the weight it offers is severely taxing to our ability to move it from the outside.¡±

    The buzzing voice of the swarm had caused Mira to jump in surprise, as it was both louder and yet somehow less-distinct than coming through the speaker of the suit. At the same time, she could hear an even greater depth of echo to the chorus, and more of a basal thrum to the buzzing that had been lost in the suit comm. Nodding determinedly at the request, she quickly rolled up the suit as best she could, holding it here and there and ending up with a somewhat-unsightly but certainly more-compact bundle that she deposited in place against a corner of the entryway just past the airlock.

    Mira turned to follow the swarm into her parents'' ship. They left it behind when they had started their latest commission, saying the archeology foundation was providing room and board as well as integrated research labs and teams of dozens, just not just themselves. Still, as she passed the open doorway to their study and their own humbler but still-serviceable lab space, Mira wished again that they had chosen to take the ship, and more importantly her, with them to wherever they had ended up.

    A dig that was on supposed to take a fortnight had turned into six months of absence without a word, and despite how alien the hive¡¯s presence felt at times, she was desperately glad for any type of companionship that wasn''t cajoling her to buy something or threatening her for the basic supplies she needed for survival on her own.

    The airlock was in the midsection of the ship, the living quarters, study, and secluded research lab contained within. At the fore of the ship was another smaller bulged section, this one dedicated primarily to the navigation helm and long-range sensors, so far as the ship had any. It also had an unused space that had once held the guts of the wiring and controls for automatic defense turrets, long-since stripped and sold for salvage before her parents ever acquired the vessel second hand. The final section of the ship was the largest, the aft containing the core, engines, hyperspeed array, and reserve supplies of food, water, and fuel.

    From the seemingly-omnipresent hum, Mira presumed the swarm had spread across the full breadth of the ship, investigating every nook and cranny with endless curiosity. The voice of the swarm spoke once more, Queen and Kin addressing her from a mostly from a cluster of nearby bees, but with the voice echoing all around the passageways as she walked towards the bridge of the ship.

    ¡°This is a goodly craft, but it appears that it suffered some damage; Were you engaged in battle?¡±

    Mira abruptly blushed, the teenager wishing she was anywhere but here, under the neutral-but-curious gaze of the swarm. ¡°Not exactly. I was having some troubles flying it in.¡±

    ¡°You are young for your species, to be rated for piloting. What sort of difficulties did you encounter?¡±

    Twirling a strand of hair around a finger and trying desperately to find a direction she could look that wasn''t making eye contact with at least one or two exploratory bees, she said ¡°I¡¯m not exactly rated for piloting yet. I''m still in training, or at least I was, and docking was always one of the parts I had the most difficulty with.¡±

    One of the holographic displays came to life, an unseen set of hive members somewhere within the workings manipulating it as a screen sprang to life showing a number of red-marked hull damage and micro-breaches along the front and belly of the craft.

    ¡°It appears you hit something as you arrived, then.¡±

    The swarm spoke in a factual tone, thankfully lacking any judgment Mira could detect.

    ¡°We''ve already begun addressing the leaks, so your atmosphere generator is not continuing to be overtaxed.¡±

    Mira hadn''t even thought about the generator, but sure enough it was showing as running at slightly over capacity, to replace the air being sucked away through the microscopic pinholes along the scuffed section of hull, and likely would have burnt out if left running like that for another week. She could see one-by-one the dozen or so notifications of micro-breaches wink out, a green check mark briefly appearing before blinking off the screen and leaving the remaining damage markers scattered across the ship. Most of the other damage was either cosmetic or caused by the jostling impact, and she was quietly grateful that she had hit the other ship with the belly of her craft, rather than damaging or destroying more important hardware on the top like the transmitter antenna or sensor cluster.

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    ¡°We presume this damage is why you have remained here? Your logs indicate the ship has not moved for nearly a fortnight.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± said Mira, reaching up to swipe at the engine logs that had been brought up, until it reached a different screen, this time the communications and incoming signals module. Flagged red and flashing at the top was a warning of impoundment, with details that Mira was all too familiar with. However before she closed out the module, the impoundment notice opened unbidden, and began to scroll as she muttered to herself ¡°No-no-no, please, you don''t need to, really you don''t need to-¡± but it was too late.

    Reaching the bottom of the notice, the messaging module and holo-screen blinked off, and Mira could feel the gaze of the swarm return, directed at her once more.

    ¡°It appears you had not just scraped the docking ring, but also the security chief''s own personal craft. It is little wonder you have been impounded, caretaker.¡±

    Feeling her ears burning with embarrassment, Mira said from behind a veil of hair ¡°I didn''t mean to hit it, but it was behind the docking gantry, and I thought this space was free to land at. In any case they did say I would be permitted to regain my ship in exchange for payment for damages, docking, and related fines.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we saw this as well, but the sum amount is, from our understanding, a substantial one. Do you have the three thousand planuk discs they have demanded?¡±

    Mira scoffed, slapping the top of a nearly-empty metal container on a desk as she stepped onto the helm onto the bridge. The container bounced with the sound of a scant few coins. She said with a bitter laugh ¡°Three thousand? try three. Most of the folks walking around out there have a few hundred on them, tops. Only folks who are going to have that much cash sitting around are going to be the rich merchants and guild leaders, and they''re not the type to flaunt it or share a loan of that sum.¡±

    ¡°We understand.¡±

    The insects broke into a disharmonious buzzing again, something that Mira had a feeling was them talking amongst themselves. Before they could begin admonishing her, with a heavy sigh she said ¡°I''m sorry that you had to find out that I''m stuck like this. I''ve been told I have until the end of the month, a little less than a week from now, to scrounge up the sum needed. Otherwise I''m going to be evicted, and the ship is going to be likely broken down for parts. I''m sorry to disappoint you, Queen and Kin.¡±

    The buzzing drone came back into sync once more, and the hive replied.

    ¡°You need not apologize, caretaker. Your skill in piloting a craft at all is admirable, and your mistakes are one that any youth from any species could make. However we do require our sanctuary to be able to continue our journey, so we will resolve this matter for you.¡±

    Images of an infuriated and sting-covered security chief filled Mira¡¯s mind, and she quickly raised her hand, saying ¡°No! No, please, I don''t want you to go and threaten someone just to get me released.¡±

    There was a buzz of various noises, and the swarm seemed to lose cohesion for a moment. Mira was worried she had said something inappropriate or offended them somehow, until she realized that the few sounds she could understand seemed like an oddly-sibilant analog to laughter. After a moment, the swarm regained cohesion once more and spoke.

    ¡°Rest assured, caretaker, we shall not harm anyone who does not threaten you, ourselves, or our home, with violence. But there are other ways to resolve this obstacle.¡±

    There was a slight pause, and the bees seemed to pull back from the seat at the captain''s chair at the helm of the ship.

    ¡°However, we do ask that you please secure yourself for immediate departure.¡±

    ¡°Immediate departure?¡± she asked, stepping over to the seat and grabbing the buckle. ¡°But what about the impoundment locks?¡±

    Her question was punctuated by a trio of loud bangs along the hull, as she could see the electromagnetic locks had detached and were being withdrawn to their respective launching silos. Another notification popped up, this time a green and cheerful one that thanked her for resolving her impoundment claim and said her vehicle had been released to her custody.

    ¡°You paid my fines?¡± she asked in astonishment, surprised that the swarm would have that many funds available to help out at a moment''s notice.

    ¡°They have been resolved, in a manner of speaking.¡±

    Brow furrowed in confusion, Mira continued reading the message, but the notification was almost immediately overridden by a comm channel request, marked as urgent priority. Mira was inclined to just ignore it, but whichever bees were controlling the console opened the hail.

    Immediately, Mira shrank back as she saw the familiar and enraged face of the security chief, both sets of eye stalks quivering with rage as he barked out ¡°Under what moons do you think you''re going anywhere, human? We''ve yet to receive any payment of your fines, and furthermore, a control-hack was detected, originating from your vessel. Stand down immediately, or-¡±

    The message cut off without Mira raising a finger, but the smooth and calm voice of the swarm spoke up again.

    ¡°That was sooner than anticipated, but not entirely unexpected. We will be departing with all haste, caretaker.¡±

    Mira quickly finished clipping her harness in just the nick of time, as the engines kicked to life. There was a throaty roar, rumbling through the ship as more output than she had managed to coax from it in her sputtering flight surged the ship away from the waystation and out towards the open stars.

    Then the engines roared again, pushing Mira back in her seat as it raced forward, her head aching from the acceleration as they rocketed in the direction of the distant twin gas giants and their associated handful of moons. Mira could see on the radar display that a half a dozen signals had popped up, security force ships in hot pursuit.

    Noticing the trajectory they were on but hesitant to interrupt the swarm as they took control of the ship, Mira said ¡°Why are we flying towards the gas giants? Won''t we be unable to use a hyperspeed leap if their gravity wells are too close?¡±

    ¡°We won''t use the hyperspeed array from this point forward.¡±

    The Queen and Kin stated this surprise with little fanfare, but Mira could feel her stomach drop. ¡°You mean we''re going to try and evade them at sublight? Their ships are smaller and faster: We¡¯ll never make it.¡±

    The swarm seemed to regard her, and from the collection of insects a single bee flew to perch upon her hand. It had an abdomen slightly longer than the others, and a mark of brilliant crimson paint forming stylized swirls and sigils of microscopic flowers all along the fuzzy exoskeleton. Remembering her vague recollections of biology textbooks about an Earth she had never been to before, Mira realized that it was the queen herself. Around her the swarm buzzed with anticipation.

    ¡°Fear not, caretaker. The Apiary flies once more.¡±

 Ch. 5: Orbitals

    Mira watched as the markers for the security ships drew inexorably closer to their own vessel, nearly a hundred-thousand kilometers of a head start dropping down now to little more than ten thousand. She knew they were running out of time, as generally weapon systems began to be effective only a little bit less than that, and while thankfully this the species that comprise the security force and did not appear to favor longer-range laser weaponry, she had a sinking feeling that this meant that whatever munitions they did use would hit all the harder as soon as they closed that gap.

    The swarm, however, appeared unconcerned, making small touches of adjustments here and there but maintaining the same general course heading, for a pair of enormous gas giants that loomed red and blue in the sky before them.

    ¡°We don''t have weapons on this ship,¡± she cautioned the nearest cluster of bees. ¡°So if you''re hoping to catch them by surprise and shoot anyone down, you''re going to be sorely disappointed.¡±

    ¡°We have no plans to resort to violence at this juncture. In any case, it is best for us to conserve power, given that we anticipate a long flight that we have not had a chance to resupply for.¡±

    ¡°Long flight? Where¡¯re we going?¡± Mira asked, eyes still darting between the dwindling distance marker to security forces and the enormous planetoids that were now seeming perhaps a little too close on the screen before them.

    ¡°The nearest suitable world cluster for our supplies and long-distance communications requirements is Androx Beta.¡±

    ¡°I''m not familiar with that one,¡± Mira said, leaning over to pull up the navigation charts. Her mouth fell open when she saw the cluster highlighted, almost three light years from their current position. ¡°How the hell do you think we''re going to get to make it three light years before they catch us? I don''t think we''ll get to the other side of the system before we get blown out of the sky.¡±

    ¡°Do not concern yourself with the pursuing ships. We will be escaping their reach shortly, and have calculated that their interest and dedication in pursuing us will not be sufficient to warrant the weeks-long full burn needed in order to catch up with us. Once the danger has passed, then it will be safe for you to enter into your stasis pod for the rest of the trip.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®in order to catch up with us?¡¯ They are already catching up with us!¡± Mira said frustratedly. ¡°Also, what''s all this about a ¡®stasis pod?¡¯ The only one that had been aboard we sold to make room for the research lab.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is most unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Most what?!¡±

    Before she could say more, Mira was thrown back in her seat, groaning as her vision narrowed and it felt like her chest was threatening to implode as the gravitational pull of the gas giants took hold and began yanking the ship forward. However, she could also see through the viewport and her bleary vision that the trajectory they were on actually appeared to cut between the two looming planets. The angle was such that they were on an orbit around the smaller of the two, wisping clouds of blue and teal flashing by far below them as they rocketed around the far side.

    Mira forced herself to you blink and tore her eyes away from the screen to glance at the long-range sensor readings. The pursuit ships had split in half, three still trying to make up the distance behind them while the other three waited on the other side of the gas giant, at the midpoint between the two large bodies that they would be passing through.

    Mira was surprised that the ships following behind them appeared not to be gaining ground. ¡°Queen and Kin, what''s going on? Their ships are faster than ours, aren''t they?¡±

    ¡°While their ships are faster, we have found that far too many singular-member species rely on shortcuts, and the surface level knowledge of how to perform an action without truly understanding the underlying and deeper question of why and how that action would achieve a desired result.¡±

    Feeling far too many g-forces to be able to contemplate and engage the swarms sage rambling, Mira just groaned again. ¡°Simpler, please?¡±

    There was a short buzz of discussion, and then they spoke again. Mira could see that the nearest insects on and around her were swaying with the additional angular momentum, but appeared to be fairing far better than she felt she was under the circumstances.

    ¡°Very well. To put it more fundamentally, these pilots know how to be pilots, but they don''t know the underlying physics behind spaceflight beyond the bare minimum required to fly a ship. But we have found that when one understands the physics of flying between stars, how bodies in motion affect one-another and the beautiful geometry of those galactic dances, that one can optimize and perfect travel among the worlds.¡±

    Even as Mira watched, the pursuing craft began to fall behind. It was a relief, one extremely short-lived as the ship lying in wait at the other end of the orbits were drawing rapidly closer.

    ¡°I don''t think we''re going to be going fast enough to avoid them,¡± Mira said through gritted teeth, starting to feel less strained as the stress of the g-forces eased.

    ¡°While those craft do present a risk, we believe we hold maneuvering capability they are not aware of. This ship contains a concealed reserve dorsal and ventral thruster pairs, likely intended for uses analogous to this scenario back during its military service.¡±

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    ¡°What thrusters?¡± Mira asked in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any controls for any thruster pairs, and that seems like the kind of thing my parents would have sold for salvage ages ago.¡±

    ¡°We have verified its position and initial diagnostics show it should be functional at the moment it is needed.¡±

    ¡°And if it''s not?¡± Mira asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Then we likely will not survive long enough for it to become a concern. But rest assured, our confidence is quite high.¡±

    She grimaced, partly from the ominous prediction from the Queen and Kin, and partly from the feeling as the gravity well of the other gas giant began to again exert its control and draw them closer and faster as it crested into view around the edge of the gas giant they were orbiting above.

    The readout ticked down the distance to the stationary security craft, closer and closer, until a red light blared and marked a string of projectiles had been fired. It was a small burst, but Mira suspected that if they somehow dodged from that distance, they would be fired on again as they got closer and closer.

    However, the increased pull of the other planet of the other gas giant meant that they were accelerating faster than the firing projections had appeared to initially anticipate, and the shots passed harmlessly far to one side. A few moments later, another barrage was fired, this time tracked and adjusted to the increasing momentum of The Apiary.

    ¡°Caretaker, please brace yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah I figure we won''t be able to dodge them forever,¡± she said with frustrated resignation.

    ¡°Not at all. Rather, we have determined several engine optimizations we can implement for a temporary boost in acceleration. It will be only for a moment, but will allow us to avoid this cluster of munitions.¡±

    Mira had barely inclined her head to nod when she was thrown further back in her seat, feeling herself pressed into the fabric as if and feeling every ridge and button on the upholstered chair as the ship raced forward. The second round of shots passed, this time less than a kilometer distant, and Mira was beginning to grow worried. They had not fired again, and appeared to be waiting until the last moment to ensure no possible deviation could occur.

    The distance marker dwindled into the triple digits, then double, then as it dropped to less than a dozen kilometers distant there came another blaring warning on the screen. Even before it lit up she felt another lurch, this time the blood rushing to her head and pounding in her ears as the dorsal thruster fired. It pushed them down, still in the same trajectory but transposed below their previous location, and she could see the flashing lights of hundreds of shots peppering the space where they had been moments before.

    And then they were past, and Mira breathed a sigh of relief as she saw pursuing ships engage engines and come to a slow, regrouping and retreating.

    ¡°Their munitions are unguided and slower than our current velocity, so they have no chance of reaching us now we have passed without applying full thrust for multiple days in a row.¡±

    Shaking, Mira unbuckled from her seat and stood, still feeling the tug of acceleration of the engines and watching as their speed indicator crept higher and higher. Even still, the journey they had set off on would take years.

    ¡°I appreciate the save again, Queen and Kin,¡± she said softly, trying to avoid the surge of anxiety she could feel rising in your chest, ¡°But this isn''t a deep space vessel, and we don''t have half a decade of supplies. How are we going to make it that far?¡±

    ¡°Your matter recycler is in good repair, your engine shielding is undamaged despite your earlier collision, and you have sufficient fuel rods for a century of low-capacity expenditure. All the tools we need are here, and we have verified some key supplies are present that will enable you to survive, Caretaker.¡±

    ¡°But I''ve only got maybe two months worth of food, three tops,¡± she said. ¡°Even if I eat light and stretch it, that''ll only last me half a year. I don''t know what else you eat, but I didn''t bring any honey aboard either, so I''m not sure how long you''ll be able to subsist either.¡±

    ¡°Fear not, caretaker. Can you please show us to your food reserves?¡±

    Mira led the main cluster of bees down the hallway, the occasional hive members underfoot quickly and automatically moving out of the way to clear passage for them. When she reached the cozy mess hall, Mira went over to a large drawer, twisting the large stiff locking handle and sliding it open. She had been, if she was truthful with herself, not particularly wise with her food choices, mostly getting small snacks and treats rather than cheaper and longer-term staples, but the Queen and Kin made a pleased noise as they saw the full extent of her stash. She could see a clump of bees already flying off with an unopened jug of fruity soda as the swarm spoke.

    ¡°This will do excellently, caretaker. We shall begin refueling our own needs from some of that sweetened beverage, but in the meantime we shall prepare you for the future with this.¡±

    Several of the bees had landed and lifted up a granola bar from the back. Mira squinted in confusion and more than a bit of mild disgust. It had been a style and flavor that was a favorite of her mother''s alone: unmilled nuts and wheat combined with dried fruit.

    ¡°I''m going to live for years on a single granola bar?¡± she said, crossing arms skeptically in front of her. She realized the hive was trying to help her, and did her best to avoid looking annoyed as she uncrossed them, but she was still feeling nothing but doubt at the idea that this gross little health snack was the key to her future.

    ¡°Not all things are that which they have become. While a thing can move forward through time and be changed by that passage, in many cases it can readily step back to what it was before, with enough will and patience.¡±

    The cluster of bees have descended on the package, chewing it open along one side and sliding the bar out before the bar itself was swarmed by further insects. Looking close, Mira could see many of them chewing off the natural sugars used to glue the ingredients of the bar together, but then instead of consuming the remaining nuts, grains, and fruit, the bees flew out into a separated formation, each carrying or helping carry one of the disparate ingredients. They were clustered together based on what they carried, but Mira realized they had carefully cleaned and prepared them.

    ¡°These will be suitable for planting in the right conditions.¡±

    ¡°Planting?¡± said Mira with dawning realization. ¡°But I¡¯ve lived on a spaceship my whole life: I never tried to grow so much as a dandelion, let alone a bunch of food!¡±

    The voice of Queen and Kin was kindly, as the queen herself deposited a dried strawberry seed into the human¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Then let us teach you. It''s time to begin our garden, caretaker.¡±

 Ch. 6: Succession

    It had been nearly two months since the ship had left their last system. Mira had gotten used to calling it The Apiary now. Her parents had called it Risho, keeping the name from what it had been called back when it was still a military vessel. She''d gotten bored one afternoon as a younger kid and looked it up, disappointed to find out that it was just some dumb admiral who had won a battle of some kind. The name meant nothing to her, and she knew that her parents had only kept calling it that out of convenience as well, so she really appreciated that now there was a name that actually meant something to her and the hive she traveled with.

    It had been an interesting few months, and it seemed as of late that the triumphs were outnumbering the problems. The matter recycler was working, and they''d managed to redirect the output stream to feed into a spare cargo container in the aft section. Normally matter recyclers were intended to purify out desired substances from various waste streams on a vessel, water reclamation being the most common, but then storing the rest as pressed bricks that could be offloaded easily when one made port again.

    It was these bricks of discarded organic material that the hive had shown such strong interest in, and under their careful guidance Mira had helped disable the brick press, allowing the mulched waste to form a crude compost instead. Crates and boxes had become planters, and from a set of wire mesh grill originally designed to protect the air filtration system, she had managed to clip and wire together the grates to form suspended growing pots, ones that she had seeded just a few days after their voyage had begun with some of the spare strawberry seeds.

    It turned out that being dried out and made into a convenient snack had done a number on the viability of the seeds, but from the hundred or so tiny specs she''d been able to plant she''d had enough plants to nearly fully cover the suspended planter. They also promised a welcome harvest, the clusters of green berries slowly but surely lightning and ripening as the weeks had passed.

    While it seemed like the bees scarcely needed much else other than the honey, Mira had initially worried she''d become sick of having the same sweet honey day after day. However, the bees had little to spare, and instead they had both had to rely on her stash of treats, snacks, and the few staples leftover from her parents. The supplies were lasting them for now, although they had to ration it and she''d gone to bed hungry for the first time since she could remember these past few weeks.

    The swarm hadn¡¯t complained, but she knew they were likewise starting to be concerned for their own foodstuffs. As she walked past a set of metal canisters that had once held spare water reserves which were now being cycled through to water the plants, she could see the sprouting stalks now nearly a meter high, the heads of the sunflowers reaching up towards the purple lights overhead.

    She had found through discussion with Queen and Kin that the mixed fruit-and-nut bar her mother had brought aboard were fortunately untreated, the uncooked nuts and seeds still viable, in theory. They had planted with aplomb, filling every spare inorganic container they could find with soil and seeds.

    The swarm had advised her to eat only the almonds weeks back, as the time needed for those trees to mature and bear usable food was far outside their speculation for how long the ship would be traveling between systems. Still, Mira had saved one of the nuts and planted it in a larger half-crate of soil. She was pleased to see a little hint of green leaf and stem poking up from between the clods and dirt when she checked it each morning. Similar growth could be seen on the cashews they''ve been planted as well, the timeline of their maturation lining up with a few months shy of the end of their journey.

    It was a lot of planning for the future, something that Mira normally shied away from, especially when those plans made the assumption that her parents weren''t in it. But the swarm had given good advice, reassuring her worries and serving to ground her when she became overwhelmed by the thought of more years to come nearly-alone in deep space.

    However, the swarm had grown quiet these past week, talking with her when she would initiate a discussion, but seemingly reluctant to reach out to her. She heard much more the discordant buzzing, voices raised uplifted in a language she did not speak, but when she asked what was the matter she was met with deflection and polite silence.

    ¡°It is a matter for the bees, caretaker. You need not worry yourself with it.¡±

    Despite the strides that she had made in learning how the swarm worked and how their mind saw the galaxy, there were still distinct differences that eluded Mira. The mood was almost somber, the first she''d ever seen them like this, but after asking what the matter was and if there was anything she could do to help, again she was stonewalled.

    It finally reached a head the next morning, as doing her best not to yell, Mira said fiercely to another polite dismissal ¡°We''re supposed to be equals on this ship and in this pairing. I can''t help you if you don''t tell me what''s wrong, and I won''t stop worrying until I know what is going on.¡±

    She had done her best but had not been entirely successful keeping the edge of desperation out of her voice, but it appeared this finally made an impact on the Queen and Kin.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    A few minutes later, the swarm grew in density, and parted. That was when she saw the queen, and for the first time Mira realized it had been some weeks, maybe a month, since she had last seen the glimmering swirls and painted abdomen marking the leader of the swarm. But this time the Queen did not fly herself, instead being born aloft on a miniature palanquin, crafted of scraps of fabric, tufts of upholstery that had escaped the matter recycler, and claw-holds and ornamentation made of intricate wax.

    As for the queen, she was still breathing as far as Mira could see, but certainly weakened and ailing. Her wings fluttered as her head slowly lifted to regard the human.

    ¡°The queen¡¯s time is growing short, caretaker. We understand that the role of caretaker carries many joys, but one of the greatest sorrows it can bear is that of the Harvestman. When our queen passes into the Garden of Infinite Flowers, you will be needed to ensure her passing is marked with the appropriate funeral rites.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you''re dying?¡± Mira said, feeling her gut plummet. The swarm of the Queen and Kin had a distinct personality, like that of a well-meaning mentor, but sometimes she felt like she was able to understand the interact with the queen more directly. Her voice still echoed in the buzz of the swarm, but this personality was more of a kindly parent, one who offered love and understanding and patience with her seemingly-unending questions and worries for the future.

    And now that was threatening to be gone, and Mira felt the room around her darken as she realized it meant she would be alone again.

    ¡°Fear not, caretaker. This is a natural part of the cycle of a hive. She will be succeeded by her daughter, a princess who is even now stirring within her comb. She will lead the swarm and be your companion for the rest of your voyage, and possibly beyond. But do not mourn for the passing of a single queen; instead celebrate that one more piece was inlaid into the history of our swarm, a legacy passing back hundreds of monarchs and thousands of tribulations.¡±

    The swarm quieted and the queen herself buzzed, the exertion clearly taxing her, but loud enough that Mira could make out as a whispery sound.

    ¡°I do wish I''d had a chance to taste the flowers once more.¡±

    With that, the queen was still, still breathing but resting from the effort. There was another buzz of conversation, one that Mira was not included in, before the tiny palanquin was born aloft and carried back somewhere in the depth of the ship. The bees had filled nearly every available space with comb, hexagonal shapes riddled with larger spaces carved out for resting and feeding chambers, miniature workshops, and even something mere thought might have been a library, with tiny scrolls lining hundreds of empty wax honeycomb cells.

    But Mira was struggling to remain calm and collected. She understood the words of the Queen and Kin, that there would be another to take the queen''s place, someone that she could learn to understand, but on some level Mira realized she had seen the queen as a sort of godmother, and even though she knew the swarm would still be led by someone else, it felt like being reassured a lobotomized patient being given a new brain would still be the same.

    Not caring where her feet took her, Mira began walking and climbing through the ship. Finally, she paused in her walking, eyes staring out to the seemingly infinite starry void through the main window of the bridge. Her eyes had adjusted to the light here, the purple lighting they had modified to encourage the plant growth elsewhere in the ship absent here, and only the the blinking and winking panels of the control boards and ships status indicators providing any light other than the star field before her.

    She took a shuddering sigh, trying to remind herself that regardless of who the new queen would be, they were still someone she was going to have to spend years with as well, so she would have to get used to the idea.

    <hr>

    She spent the rest of the week mostly on the bridge, scurrying into the mess hall only to grab her ration meals before exiting, making hasty apologies and excuses to Queen and Kin if they saw and addressed her. She was sure they probably realized she was upset, but appreciated they had kept their distance.

    It was during one of these nights, when she had propped her feet up on the edge of an inactivated and dust-covered weapons console, that she heard the buzzing of a lone bee flying in. She barely looked up, as they would occasionally send a drone or worker in to check on her, doing a loop or two before leaving.

    But this time, the bee instead landed on her shoulder, buzzing distinctly a few times until Mira turned her head. This was unusual, but more so than that was when the bee spoke, buzzing in a quiet but determined tone.

    ¡°We understand that you mourn for the old Queen, caretaker, but it is time to emerge from your cocoon and rejoin those who still live.¡±

    Mira wiped at her nose with the back of a sleeve, eyes narrowing at the intrusion. ¡°What if I don''t want to? Nothing says that I won''t be left alone again anyways.¡±

    ¡°You are only here because you chose to be here. If you wish to, the swarm would gladly speak with you, educate and entertain you and learn from you in turn, but instead you have sealed yourself away, as if it were you and not the queen who was expiring.¡±

    ¡°But it''s not going to be the same swarm,¡± Mira said stubbornly with a sniffle. ¡°The queen is going to be gone and replaced by someone else, someone I don''t even know, so it''s like I have to meet a brand-new person, trust a brand new person. I mean, it''s not like the new queen is a clone of the old one, with the same thoughts and memories and feelings, right?¡±

    There was a buzz that she realized was amusement from the bee on her shoulder.

    ¡±No, far from it, but rest assured the new queen has been taught in our ways, learned of our history both with caretakers before you, as well as our own brief time together.¡±

    ¡°I still don''t know,¡± said Mira. ¡°How can I trust that they won''t leave me too.¡±

    ¡°All things in life come and go, and we rarely can control when that happens. The best one can do is prepare your heart to be open when such a person enters, and strengthen it so it does not shatter completely if, or when, they leave.¡±

    The bee took aloft, flying in front of her and landing on her outstretched finger.

    ¡°Now come. It''s time for you to fulfill your role as Harvestman, and usher my mother into the Garden of Infinite Flowers. The swarm is ready for you.¡±

    Shocked and realizing she had been speaking to the new queen, Mira nodded, wordlessly standing to leave the bridge, and finally face the loss she had been avoiding.

 Ch. 7: Embrace

    Mira carefully wrapped the piece of fabric over the former queen. It was humble,no large piece of cloth needed, but Mira had still taken care to cut it out as nicely as she could from the blue shirt she had kept and cleaned and not contributed to the compost of the matter recycler.

    All around her was the swarm, but it made her hair stand on end as they were all silent, covering every surface; still moving, and a soft shuffling here and there of thousands of bodies moving over in past each other. But there was no hum of flight, nor a voice.

    Finishing with the wrapping, Mira carefully placed the queen on what had once been her wax palanquin, but had since been stripped and repurposed, workers chewing and reforming the wax to form what at first appeared as simply a large hexagonal cell from a honeycomb. But seeing it from this close, she could make out dense scribework: carefully carved scenes and iconography, depicting both stories the hive had told her of their life, as well as those of tales she had not yet heard.

    While her eye was caught by the image of what looked almost like a humanoid cogent-android in one panel, the sound of a soft buzz broke the silence. It caught her attention as the wax lid was carefully sealed into place over the miniature inhuman coffin.

    ¡°Caretaker, we have repaired the connections and readied the jettison port. It is ready for you.¡±

    The jettison port had been disabled when her parents had first come aboard, something her father had made sure of so as to, in his words, ¡°Prevent any accidents from a curious child pressing buttons.¡±

    The system was designed to jettison a small object using compressed atmosphere, possibly for use as a electronics-free communication between nearby ships requiring close coordination and stealth, but according to her mother most likely just a way to flush trash and contraband without popping open the airlock.

    She had made a small sled for the coffin out of a thin sheet of metal that had once been a redundant and unnecessary bit of decorative flashing on the corner of a table. Mira had pulled it off and carefully hammered it into a more appropriate shape, and the Queen and Kin, or at least the new Queen and Kin, had noticed and sent a trio of workers armed with small capfuls of a paint made from engine oil and soot from the heater basin. Together it made for a dark and gritty color, not quite black but not quite any other color either. In fact it reminded Mira of the iridescent coloration on the queen herself, if a bit muted, and she wondered if that had been the intention.

    The workers made swirling patterns across it, intricate and interlocking work that both felt purposeful and geometric, but also carefree and ethereal depending on how one looked at it. Mira took the metal sled and coffin and stood, wishing for the hundredth time that the circumstances would have allowed for her to be garbed in something more formal than a makeshift tank top that was once a t-shirt, and a pair of sweatpants that had since been converted into capris, every bit of excess fabric she thought she could spare having been added to the matter recycler to give them as much soil work with for the growing garden.

    At the time she figured it was an easy trade-off, as she wasn''t planning on anyone judging her wardrobe choices out here, light years from anywhere, but now she did wish she''d kept at least something more appropriate for a funeral.

    She stood and watched as the bees began their dance. The Queen and Kin had told her that, once upon a time, the minds of the bees and the communication between them was fractured, incomplete, and imprecise, and required other means of communication cruder than words and unconscious mental linkages. They had utilized dance, careful and precise steps in movements, orientations and twitches, waggles and steps, each carrying deep significance and importance.

    It was through this they told each other of food and shelter and safety. And while crude and imprecise, it was also this that first allowed humanity to communicate with them, and two species realized that the other existed not as an uncaring force of nature, but instead as someone else they could learn about and learn from.

    As the legions of dancers precisely swayed, Mira could easily see the beauty and precision in their movements even if she didn''t necessarily understand all of the nuances they carried. Then the dance began to slow, but accompanying the slower tempo was a rising hum, a single monotone buzz, not of words or communication but rather almost like a choir holding a note. Mira could see that the new queen she had spoken with had now alighted near the coffin, and following shortly behind her were half a dozen worker-artisans, carrying droplets of enamel paint that Mira recognized as being some nail polish she had truly forgotten about in a box of her effects.

    It was a vibrant teal, and she could see the workers deftly painting across the queen¡¯s abdomen. The designs were broadly similar to those on the past queen, but while the iridescent style had made the previous monarch¡¯s body glow and glimmer in the light, it also made it hard to make out the specific patterns and shapes. But now, the glossy and uniform paint allowed for clear viewing of what was being inscribed.

    There were no scenes such as the carved depictions or triptychs like could be seen in the carved wax on the coffin, but instead there were tight coils and impressionistic opening blossoms. The old queen¡¯s style had been more speckled, individual points like petals blown from a flower, swirls as if a field had been caught in a strong wind and blown asunder. But now this teal held the color and shapes of new, calm growth, coils reminiscent of immature ferns and the dotted shapes of flowers and their petals, still intact and ranging from the simple to the complex.

    Then the painters stepped back and turned to fan their wings, their buzzing an abrupt interruption to the droning chant the other bees had been intoning. Lifting her wings with an experimental flutter, Mira could see the tiny head of the queen nod in approval.

    She had done her best to memorize the rites she was expected to follow as Harvestman, but Mira had still become so engrossed that it wasn''t until she realized the hive was both still and calm and staring at her that she realized she was the next to act. Carefully lifting and placing the sled upon the jettison tube manifold, Mira carefully closed the rear hatch and pulled up the launch screen. They were millions of miles away from the nearest star, but at this point she realized with another pang of sorrow that more time had no meaning to the former queen.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Orienting the jettison tube, she keyed in the coordinates for the nearest star, only a light year or so away, but one that she''d found when curiosity overcame her earlier had no habitable worlds or signs of civilization. Double checking that the trajectory was set to send the queen into a cremation path, she launched.

    Mira could feel the tears welling in her eyes as she watched the flash of the lights from the ship reflect on the metal, before the sled was gone from sight, heading on its path toward a fiery conclusion.

    Her duty complete, she turned as the new queen spoke.

    ¡°Our thanks for your work, caretaker. The aspect of the Harvestman is never an easy one so we appreciate it all the more that-¡±

    Mira waved her hand up, shocking herself with the action of interrupting the swarm, but something, a sound she could barely hear, was setting the hairs on the back of her neck up. Queen and Kin cut off into silence and confusion, and as the buzzing faded Mira could hear a hiss.

    It was continuous, quiet but uninterrupted, and glancing to the side she saw that there was a flutter of wind on the wings of the bees nearest to the jettison tube.

    ¡°I think we''re venting atmosphere,¡± she said, feeling a sudden pang of terror at the thought of suffocating in space. Quickly, she moved over and began checking to see if the door had become wedged open. It appeared closed, so she realized it must be one of the internal gasket rings that had cracked from disuse.

    Looking around for something to plug the hole, she found bits of metal, some malleable, but nothing to provide an airtight seal.

    ¡°How can we aid you, caretaker?

    Much like the old queen''s emotions sometimes came through the swarm, there was a new sensation detectable here, one that Mira felt an aching clench in her chest as she recognized it as being fear, almost echoing her own.

    Mind racing, suddenly her eyes dropped to where the queen''s coffin had been placed. ¡°Wax. I need wax, please, as much as you can, as quickly as possible.¡±

    The swarm made no sound of acknowledgment but instead raced into action, seeming to descend en masse upon the spot next to her as bees landed and shifted to make room for others. She had watched them make wax before in curiosity, seeing the bees wiggle and exude the tiny flakes of the material, but now it was happening a thousandfold a second, and within a few additional moments there was a pile deep enough to fill her hand.

    She lifted it, and it felt like what she imagined snow would feel like given what she had seen on videos: lightweight and powdery, and flakes falling to the floor. She carefully squeezed it in her hand, warming and compacting it before breaking off pieces and wedging them all around the edges of the jettison tube. Carefully, she worked with her finger, jumping in alarm and then trying her best to ignore the blaring alarm that began sounding along with a mechanized male voice repeating ¡°[Atmosphere lost detected. Atmosphere lost detected. Please move to a secure area.]¡±

    She knew that it was probably just her imagination and panicked anxiety, but Mira felt like she was breathing even harder than normal and getting less air in return, as she worked sealing every possible gap around the edge of the jettison tube. But as she pushed the final piece of wax into place, she could hear the hissing slow, and with another small heap of wax flakes deposited by the swarm, she finished wedging and sealing the cap shut, smiling as the hissing stopped.

    As she pulled back away, the bees descended upon the tube as well, and Queen and Kin spoke, calmer than before but still rattled from what Mira could perceive.

    ¡°We shall ensure the seal is strong and tight, caretaker. Thank you for your swift actions. You likely have saved-¡±

    Again the swarm was interrupted, but this time by a clunking rattle as the door back to the rest of the ship slammed shut.

    The automated voice spoke again. ¡±[Atmosphere pressure below acceptable levels. Pressure stable: Emergency atmosphere restoration initiated.]¡±

    Mira realized her vision had indeed been narrowing even without realizing, as the trickle of refreshed air helped her spinning head slow. However, the temperature also began to drop and she shivered, rubbing her bare arms as the air began hissing quickly back into the space. Strangely, the swarm seemed undirected, some bees flying around in a semi panic while others milled about on various surfaces.

    ¡°Queen and Kin, are you okay?¡± Mira asked between chattering teeth as the temperature continued to plummet. ¡°What''s happening?¡±

    There was no response, and instead only a discordant buzzing as Mira suddenly realized she couldn''t see the queen. Quickly scanning the surfaces around her, she finally saw a vent manifold with a plume of white gas hissing in, the source of the restoring atmosphere. Unfortunately it was frigid, filled with reserve tanks of liquified gasses kept on the unheated exterior of the craft and consequently as cold as the vacuum of space itself.

    Looking in increasing desperation, she suddenly saw the queen, motionless below where the vent air was pouring out. She was still, almost powdered white with frost, and Mira picked her up, carefully cradling her in her hands even as she felt her own shivering increase from the dropping temperature. A diagnostic showed the atmosphere pressure creeping slowly back up to normal, but at the rate it was going it would be well below freezing before it finally equalized.

    She huddled with the queen, feeling the frost melt into dampness, and letting out a shuddering sob of relief as she felt the queen stir in her hands. Still, the tears on her cheeks felt like knives across her skin as they threatened to freeze upon her face.

    But as the Queen stirred, the swarm calmed, and despite Mira''s eyes still being clenched shut, she could feel as the swarm descended upon her, covering her entirely with a shifting and ticklish layer of bodies. Then Mira shivered in both chill and surprise as the bees began vibrating, wiggling their abdomens and feeling like an almost-electric buzz along her skin. Suddenly the layer of bees went from merely a curiosity to being noticeably warm, and Mira let out a sigh as her body accepted the heat and began to slow her rattling teeth.

    She kept her hands carefully cupped close to her and could feel the queen nestled against a crook of fingers, curled and comfortable as she too recovered her strength and warmth.

    As the hours slowly passed and the airflow finally stopped and calmed, Mira became aware of the bees slowing their vibrations until they sat still once more. She carefully stood, holding her hand open and flat as the queen stretched and flicked her wings. Then she took flight, accompanied by the rest of the swarm, now in unison once more.

    Smiling to herself, Mira saw the queen and her retinue do a low dip past her in flight, an unspoken display of thanks, and she returned it with a nod of unspoken appreciation. Then stretching herself, Mira began the trek across the ship to her garden, surrounded by the comfortable familiarity of the bees once more.

 Ch. 8: Cultivate

    ¡°I''m coming, I''m coming. Don''t get your antenna in a twist,¡± Mira laughed, following behind the cluster of bees that had summoned her. She stretched, rousing from a warm sleep, and eager for the special treat they told her was finally ready.

    As she climbed down from her bunk space and made her way across the belly of the ship, Mira paused to pluck a few strawberries here and there that were lying ripe and ready. While some days she might have gotten sick of the flavor of the plain fruit, now that the bees were able to produce good quantities of honey she found that drizzling it over the fruit and possibly a thin crushed-nut cracker made for a quite enjoyable treat.

    The subject of nuts was what had her so excited for today. They were ready to add a new flavor into the limited but still enjoyable offerings the garden had for their pantry. Reaching past the boughs of the cashew tree, Mira plucked one of the cashew apples loose, giving it a shake to dislodge an errant worker who had gotten lost between the clusters of flowering plants nearby.

    Impatient to try a new food for the first time in years, she was about to take a grab the nut and shell dangling at the bottom when there was a rattling buzz of alarm from Queen and Kin.

    ¡°Caretaker! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Eating the literal and figurative fruits of my labor?¡± Mira said slowly with a confused smile.

    A bee separated from the group and landed on her hands with the cashew apple, still in attached to the nut in its unopened shell. It was the queen, and Mira felt the barely-perceptible tickle of the queen''s proboscis as she tasted the sweat on her hand. Then she looked up to Mira and spoke with the swarm.

    ¡°The nut from these trees must be cooked before it is safe for humans to consume or even touch. To do otherwise would invite severe illness, or worse. Take care to remove it before you feast.¡±

    Mira looked at the cashew with suspicion but shrugged, carefully knocking the nut and shell off with a thin metal shim and using the shim to slide it to one side before rinsing the spot it had been attached at. They had a makeshift stove available down in the engine room, an area where insulated padding had been carefully removed under the guidance of Queen and Kin so as to expose one of the water piping shafts used to circulate and cool the reactor core. It remained piping hot at all times, was relatively-flat enough to place a small bowl or pan on to boil or fry whatever was needed.

    Taking a bite of the now-safe fruit, Mira groaned in appreciation, careful to catch the bits of fruit juice so as not to waste anything from the delicious snack. While she used one hand to tuck her overgrown bangs behind her ears to keep them out of the way of the meal, Mira had soon eaten the fruit entirely.

    Wiping off her hands. Mira sighed with satisfaction as she stepped into the midsection of the ship and into the garden proper. Nearly every surface that could catch a beam of light was covered in leafy greens: countless leafy bunches of peanuts where the planter container was deep enough to support them, and round plump strawberries where the soil had to be shallower. The other primary triumph of that initial flurry of planting had been the sunflower seeds, She hadn''t been sure if they would succeed, but they had quickly sprouted and had been some of the earliest flowers alongside the strawberries for the bees to begin collecting pollen and nectar from. The stalks now grew taller than Mira was, even after the last vestiges of growth her body had planned for her pushed her height up an additional inch and a half during the journey, causing her to have to relearn which doorways she could stride through and which required ducking to avoid cracking her head against.

    The garden was literally humming, the hundreds of flowers being criss-crossed by similarly satisfied bees, steadily and diligently collecting and pollinating as they worked. A worker buzzed at her ear to get her attention, and Mira turned as Queen and Kin addressed her.

    ¡°We have another comb ready for you. Please follow us.¡±

    Reaching over to grab a small makeshift heated-wire knife, Mira followed the cluster of waiting bees, winding in and around through halls and entryways until she reached a doorway she had not been to in years, almost since the journey began.

    It was her parents¡¯ study, one they had gone through and emptied out anything she thought her parents could spare, and carefully moved everything else to one side to make room for some of the honeycombs of the hive to be established. The combs were nearly as large as she was, dangling heavy and glistening with golden treasure as they hung from the ceiling.

    However, as she worked to cut the comb free, her gaze was drawn to the boxes of effects, books, and of course dozens of artifacts both cataloged and yet to be scrutinized. She almost wondered if her parents would recognize her now: her short bob of curly hair now more than shoulder length, held out of her eyes by clips originally intended to seal piping connections; clothes she had outgrown midway through the journey and repaired or adapted to better fit her taller and older stature, with haphazard extensions and patches she had sewn on herself, occasionally aided in the more cramped spots by the bees helping glue together small seams.

    She passed by the pantry section of the mess hall as she carefully set the comb down in an open basin alongside a trio of other similar mature honeycomb wedges. While most of the drawers and shelves had been pulled out or moved to serve as planters, a handful were still in place, filled with roasted peanuts, roasted sunflower seeds, and dried sliced strawberries. In the fridge were more of the strawberries, these ones fresh but with a few sealed canisters containing strawberries smothered in honey.

    As she reached in to deposit the small handful of strawberries from her pocket that she had picked but not eaten on her walk, the door of the small refrigerator bumped against the table, and a rattle of a lid reminded her that she needed to put away the container of nut flour. It was basically just finely-ground peanuts and sunflower seeds, but when combined with some honey as a binder and caramelized on a frying pan, it was capable of giving her a sort of sweet and aromatic cracker, some additional much-needed variety in an otherwise fairly-uniform diet.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    After wolfing down a few of these honey nut-crackers and washing them down with a glass of recycled water, Mira brushed the crumbs off and scooped up the empty plate she had left at the table from breakfast. Already the bees had a handful of workers starting to clean up and eat the crumbs on her new plate, an efficient system that meant dishwashing was much easier and without anything needing to be scrubbed.

    As she paused to tie the laces on her shoe that she had since converted into an open-toed sandal, Mira felt and heard the hum of the queen landing on her shoulder, along with a clump of other workers and drones attending her. A steady stream of workers was landing to take freshly-laid eggs and deposit them in waiting wax cells, but the queen preferred Mira''s company, something she was personally quite glad of and happy to provide. The previous queen had been polite and affectionate in her interactions, but also somewhat distant, like a parent figure that was absent unless called for. In contrast, the new queen felt much more like an older sister, or at least what Mira had imagined having an older sister would feel like. She tended to tag along with the human, especially when Mira was heading towards her current destination of the bridge.

    ¡°Today''s the day!¡± she told the bees on her shoulder excitedly. Through the view screen one of the stars was notably larger and brighter than the rest, slightly off center from dead ahead and shining a welcome, warm yellow light through the window.

    The ship had spun nearly a year ago to begin decelerating, but even so they would only be reaching normal cruising and maneuvering speed within the system an hour ago. The shape of their destination, a technology-focused trade hub the Queen and Kin had insisted was the best place for them in the short term, was not yet visible to the naked eye, although the telescopic lenses on the hull were able to pick out a pale red dot that was marked as being the planet in question.

    For the first time in months, Mira felt self-conscious at her current haphazard clothing and attire, and she frowned as she pulled at some of the messier stitching she had done.

    ¡°There''s not a bunch of humans or stuffy folks on this world, are there?¡±

    ¡°We have been to Matepa only once before, but it was a strong mix of species and groups. Clothing is the norm, but there is no formality or neatness necessarily expected. Your garments may draw the gaze of the occasional human, but almost everyone else will likely pay you no attention.¡±

    Although she didn''t speak it, Mira was also anxious about the idea of seeing other people after so many years alone. While part of her was worried that she might do or say something on accident that would be seen as improper or uncultured, the rest of her mind was pivoting to focus on asking and finding what had happened to her parents. While this world was still light years distant from their dig site, it was far closer and more connected to the region they told her they would be working in, and she hoped someone, anyone, might hold the clues to their whereabouts.

    ¡°You are concerned for your parents, caretaker?¡±

    Mira started, knocking some bees off who quickly recovered in midair and landed back on her. ¡°How did you know?¡± she asked, and she could see the queen''s head turn to scrutinize her.

    ¡°Whenever you speak of them, you twirl your finger in your hair. You are doing it now, although you''ve not spoken of them yet.¡±

    Mira nodded, pulling your finger free but taking a deep breath as she said ¡°I''m just worried about what I''ll find when I start asking about them.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried that there will be no news? That is a possibility, but given the regions you''ve described and the size of their excavation crew and ship, this zone of space has several spaceports, including this one, that would be ideal to refuel and resupply at. If they have not been here, it is possible that they have been seen at a nearby hub by a spacer who is traveling through this one.¡±

    Mira sighed again as she spoke more hesitantly.

    ¡°I understand that, but I''m actually more worried about what if I do find them? What would they think of me? Will they be upset with me? With the ship? Will they get along with you, I hope?¡± she asked, giving the queen a gentle poke with her finger as she smiled faintly.

    ¡°We have found that while our presence is unusual to humans, once they are familiar with our existence they soon become accustomed and friendly in almost all cases. But what reasons do you think they would be upset with you? You have modified the ship, true, but it was to establish and preserve your own existence, and from your tales and recollections of them your parents do not appear to value a lifeless vessel above the life of their child.¡±

    Although she knew that made sense, Mira still felt at times like her parents cared more about an unfeeling carved piece of stone statuary or petroglyph inscription than they did for their own daughter. After all, they had left her to fend for herself while going out to the dig they''ve been hired for, never once asking if she would like to attend. She didn''t have the knowledge or experience her parents had with the details of the xenoarcheology they specialized in, but she''d seen enough to have an interest, and even occasionally point out some details they''d overlooked when they shared the current piece they were studying.

    Seeing that she was still distracted, the Queen and Kin spoke again, this time with a much more reassuring tone that Mira felt was coming directly from the queen herself.

    ¡°Caretaker, it may also be that they were aware of a danger they did not wish to worry you with. It is unfortunate they did not prepare instructions for you in the event of their prolonged or permanent absence, but they also did not seem from your recollections to be prone to rush off without careful consideration.¡±

    Clearing her throat, Mira did her best to steady her voice as she said ¡°That makes sense, and you''re probably right. I just hate not knowing what happened, one way or another.¡±

    A chime sounded on the bridge as the automated voice spoke again. ¡±[System Target within range. Applying final deceleration. Automated port codes accepted. Docking zone designated. Please prepare for landing.]¡±

    Carefully brushing a few errant workers off of the chair, Mira sat and clipped the harness into place, her heart pounding in her chest as the ship rumbled and slowed, and the red-and-green-swirled world below her loomed in the window.

    ¡°If it helps, focus not on apologies you would make, or things in the past you would have done differently. Instead think of their love for you, and the stories you will be able to share of all you have accomplished since you last met.¡±

    Mira clenched her watering eyes shut, grimacing and nodding fiercely as the ship shuddered and creaked as it passed through the atmosphere.

    Then there was a loud thud as they made final contact.

    ¡±[You have arrived at your destination.]¡±

 Ch. 9: Bargain

    Before asking for information, before acquiring new clothes, before even taking a much-needed-and-desired bath, Mira had made a direct beeline away from their landing pad and through the nearest wind of streets, to the food cart with the loudest and most delicious-smelling wares available being hocked. An impatient wave later, and she had one of the skewers in her hand.

    It was some kind of dark meat on a stick, spiced to the point they made her nose hurt, but importantly it wasn''t fruit, nuts, or honey, and so it was a delicacy that she felt she might cry over if it weren''t for her already crying from the sheer heat as the barely-tolerable spices incinerated her palate. The stall vendor was still waiting for her to pay, both sets of lumpy and rock-like limbs on their broad bouldery hips as they stared expectantly at her, with eyes that glittered like gemstones.

    Gasping and beginning to feel regret for her hasty choice of food overcoming her appreciation for tasting something new after years in space, Mira began to cough out an apology when she was interrupted by the Queen and Kin, flying in a cloud in front of her and alighting on her hand closest to the vendor. Notably the bees still seemed to be avoiding being anywhere near the remaining pungently-aromatic meat on the skewer she held clenched in her fist.

    ¡°Our apologies, caretaker. We had not anticipated you would exit the ship so rapidly. Here, let us pay for your meal.¡±

    Mira felt a surge of embarrassment for how ravenous she was, but that was almost entirely overpowered by the base hunger signals her brain was telling her, seemingly uncaring of the level of spice the meat skewers contain. The vendor''s attention had shifted to the swarm after they mentioned paying for the meal, and their annoyance soon melted into a customer-satisfying smile as several workers landed on the handheld payment tool and input an account number. The small hologram that popped up showed the price of the meal, something that Mira could barely read the script as being something called a ¡®chorwit skewer,¡¯ and coming to the total of a few dozen credit-equivalent-units.

    Then the bees¡¯ account balance flashed up, flickering slightly as it deducted the quantity needed for the food from their current sum holdings, before a small [Payment complete!] flashed up over it and the image faded. Still, Mira was astonished at how much the swarm¡¯s account carried, a sum of seven, nearly eight figures in total. As she wiped at her tingly lips with the back of her hand and stepped out of the way for the next customer, she turned to Queen and Kin with a pointed mutter.

    ¡°Were you going to tell me you all were absolutely loaded?¡±

    The swarm¡¯s tone was nonchalant, almost amused at the question.

    ¡°We did not see the need, and had not come up as a point in conversation. In any case, it would have made for little use or difference during our long flight. But yes, we tend to produce far more in value than we consume, and so often the most difficult part is ensuring our honey and other products have buyers ready when they are complete.¡±

    The cluster of the nearest cluster of bees took off, starting to fly in front of Mira towards the section of guild-affiliated merchants.

    ¡°In any case, that topic is pertinent again as we are in need of both food reserves, and stores of nectar and sugar to process. We have good standing and open contracts with several of the guilds for just such a need.¡±

    Mira followed, but a thought she¡¯d been forming finally crystallized into a question as they turned off of the main streets full of individual stalls into a quieter and less-foot-traffic-intense section that held numerous storefronts of all shapes and sizes, some open but mostly closed.

    ¡°At the waystation, you had enough to have paid the fine without even blinking; Why bother to hack them and steal the ship back then?¡±

    The Queen and Kin paused, and there was a disrupted buzz of sound that she at first mistook to be uncoordinated discussion, but then realized that the rising and falling pace of it was actually more akin to a room bursting into laughter. After a moment the swarm composed itself.

    ¡°The fee lodged against you was nearly three times the fair market value of not only all the damage you had incurred, but the entire value of the ship you had struck assuming it had been completely unsalvageable. Given that craft was then being used to pursue us afterwards is a strong sign the damage was non-critical at worst. They were attempting to rob you, and we determined that we would not be supporting such a blatant act of attempted piracy.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Mira said, stunned, but she could sense a slight note in the swarm¡¯s tone that caused her to grin mischievously. ¡°So none of it was because hacking them was¡­fun?¡±

    There was another murmuring buzz, this being more like a chuckle.

    ¡°We suppose it was somewhat enjoyable as well.¡±

    Mira laughed as well as the human and swarm both walked along the quieter street. Soon the Queen and Kin stopped, and Mary could see that the small entrance here was marked as being a part of the Atriac Guild, a combination merchant and humanitarian group that her parents had spoken highly of.

    ¡°You can wait here or explore the market as you wish, caretaker. The details may bore you, and we are not sure how long the negotiations will take.¡±

    Mira had never been one for stuffy office meetings and gladly accepted the offer to continue checking out the market. As she turned to step away, one of the workers landed and deposited a small chip into her palm. The chip¡¯s yellow light blinked green as it contacted her skin with a small chime that said ¡°[DNA encode accepted.]¡±

    ¡°This is an extension chip to our account. Please feel free to purchase whatever clothing or other supplies you desire, and we will meet you back at the ship.¡±

    Nodding, Mira tried not to focus on just how much money this chip represented, and stayed focused on what she needed, or thought she might need. The first was a change of clothes, finding a suit and textiles vendor that offered biped sizing and scaling. After being measured by a series of small floating drones, the vendor quickly and deftly stitched together a set of garments for her, with colors of white and gold on one, and blues and purples on another.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Remembering something that she had read, she also made a specific request about the latter garment, and the vendor blinked in surprise. ¡°I wasn''t aware your species appreciated that, but I can certainly incorporate it,¡± they said, before adding some additional specific weaves and stitchings into the piece. Then Mira changed in the dressing room of the small shop, grateful for the durability and longevity of the clothes she had been with for years, but glad to finally be able to deposit the grubby, worn, and inelegantly-repaired pieces into a nearby refuse bin.

    Her next stop was a food and supplies store, this one more of a general resupply depot than a vendor selling read-to-eat snacks. She carefully picked out both whatever seemed like it would last longest, as well as some foodstuffs Mira thought both she would enjoy and the bees might appreciate as well.

    As she left the depot and continued down the stalls, Mira felt a prickling sensation on her neck. Turning quickly, she thought she saw movement, a pair of figures moving in unison out of the corner of her eye, but did not see anyone looking at her or moving her way specifically out of the overall crowd.

    Struggling against the surge of bodies, she followed her nose towards her final destination amongst the offerings of this section of traders. It was the sweet smell of fresh flowers and fruits, and she soon found herself in amongst hundreds of cut blooms and produce. Some of the shops here offered the food as prepacked and prepared meals, while many more had decorative displays and arrangements. She actually had to ask around several times, getting multiple dead ends or confused looks before locating a shop selling just seeds and sprouts. She tried and failed to ignore the substantial sum she was ringing up, as she picked out dozens of exotic flowers and seed bundles to experiment with growing. Even with this being the spendiest amount she had purchased so far, it barely even registered as a decrease at all to the overall amount the bees held.

    Shopping complete, Mira''s mind shifted now to her investigation. She didn''t remember the name of the ship her parents had departed with, or even if they''d told her the name at all, but she did have a description of both them and the ship they rode, and she began first with the bars closest to the spaceport proper.

    The first bartender eyed her with suspicion and nearly ejected her until she quickly clarified that she was just looking for information, but would be happy to buy a drink. Mollified, the bartender poured her a fizzy beverage, one infused with helium to add bubbles which quickly fizzed to the top, giving her a single high-pitched giggling squeak as she sipped it before the drink went almost entirely flat.

    Still, the drink wasn''t the main reason she was here, and a few questions around yielded no firm answers but instead a few further suggestions of where to check next. In particular, a large avian-whale-like mariner pointing her towards a bar that was more intended for surveying pilots simply seeking to pick up a drink and leave shortly afterwards on a flight, rather than sitting around and nursing drinks for hours.

    The suggested cantina was notably darker and dingier, but had a surprising number of patrons given the time of day meant it was between major shipping arrivals and departures. Still, the tone was subdued and quiet, and Mira could feel questioning eyes on her as she began asking if anyone had seen signs of an archaeologist-occupied ship, describing the gleaming lines and heraldry she had seen on the pictures of the vessel her parents had shown her.

    ¡°I have seen that,¡± came a bubbling voice from a back corner. There were a trio of mechanical legs supporting what at first glance appeared to be almost a cook pot, but one covered with dials and controls. Within was a sloshing, vaguely-discernible torso and arms, and a few darker points that might have been eyes.

    Rising from its basin, the spacefarer said ¡°That one you''re looking for is the Glyph of Korindax.. It usually does odd jobs, but I''ve seen it with a whole bunch of dirt pushers and know-it-all science folks more than once.¡±

    Mira beamed in excitement. ¡°Any chance you saw where they were heading last?¡±

    ¡°Might have, but I''m awfully parched,¡± said the spacer meaningfully. Mira understood, and flagged over a spider-like waitress to bring the alien another drink. The short creature grabbed the glass tankard, pouring the green liquid into its own bowl and letting out a sigh of satisfaction as it said ¡°That''s quite a bit better, thanks lass. Yeah, last I saw they were heading off to one of the moons of Guepa.¡±

    ¡±Moons?¡± asked Mira dejectedly. ¡°You didn''t by any chance happen to hear which one?¡±

    She''d never heard of Guepa before, but most planets tended to collect moons like a human collected keepsakes, cluttering around them and often making for a mess of orbital calculations to untangle when one got close enough.

    The small, slushy alien laughed and said ¡°Don''t you fret: There''s just two of them, and they''re not that big either. Shouldn''t take you more than half a cycle to check them both, assuming your ship''s got sensors worth a damn.¡±

    Mira thanked the creature, but before she could turn she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, and then a low rumbling voice said ¡°Well now, Humboldt, it seems this little human might be in need of directions.¡±

    A second hand fell on her other shoulder as another, slightly-whinier voice said ¡°Oh Joubin, I think you might be right. We''d hate for such a poor creature to get turned around and lost in a big spaceport like this.¡±

    The first voice chuckled as Mira started to turn around, seeing a pair of mounded shapes, no clear feet or other limbs apart from a trio of thick tentacles ending in a cluster of finer manipulator tendrils. The tentacles were set directly below the misshapen heads, marked with a single enormous slitted eye and a maw that she could see contained dozens of sharp, semi-transparent teeth.

    ¡°Why, If a human were to make a bad choice and get lost around here, there''s no telling if they''d ever be found. Especially if they weren''t cautious about who they shared their good fortune with.¡±

    Mira could feel a sinking sensation as she realized the two creatures intended to rob her, a suspicion confirmed when the eyes of both monsters slid down to her hand, still clenching the bonded credit chip that Queen and Kin had given her.

    ¡°We saw your ship come in,¡± said Humboldt. ¡°It''s an awfully fine ship for such a little young one like you.¡±

    Joubin nodded as if his companion was speaking sage advice. ¡°You would do best to help us out, so we can then help you find that ship you''re looking for.¡±

    Doing her best not to tremble, Mira smiled weakly, but as one of the tentacles lifted up she charged past them, knocking over a chair and hearing the creatures start to surge after her before the more commanding of the two snapped out ¡°No! Let her go.¡±

    Calling after her, they said ¡°No use running, human,¡± and began chortling, the sound ringing in her ears as she ran. She thought perhaps to stop by the guild the bees had entered, but she wasn''t sure if they might still be there or elsewhere in the marketplace. Instead, she retraced her steps, running where she could but mostly power-walking through the crowds and scanning around her for any sign of the attempted muggers.

    She raced past the depot and textile vendors, until she smelled the familiar smell of the chorwit food stall. With a sigh, Mira finally caught sight of her ship, and broke into another sprint, crossing the distance as the ramp detected her approach and lowered to meet her.

    Then she froze, as she noticed another ship clinging on the exterior of her hull. It was smaller, and of a design she had never seen before. Oozing down the ramp was one of the two gelatinous aliens that had accosted her earlier.

    ¡°Hello again, human.¡± Behind her she felt a pair of tentacled hands resting heavily on her shoulders, and squeezing with enough implied pressure to suggest that more damage could be done if she didn''t cooperate. ¡°Mind giving us a tour of your ship?¡±

 Ch. 10: Interlopers

    ¡°Come on then, up you get,¡± said Humboldt, prodding her with the end of a tentacle. Mira was glancing around frantically as she boarded The Apiary, looking for any sign of the return of the swarm. Unfortunately it appeared the negotiations were still ongoing and no salvation was in sight. There wasn''t even another living soul on the docking platform, and only the distant sounds of machinery and dock hands calling as they loaded and unloaded cargo could be heard. Mira wasn''t sure if they would be able to hear her if she called for help, and wasn''t sure they would help even if they could hear her, so as she scoured her brain for options, she slowly but steadily and slowly climbed the ramp on board.

    She grimaced as her ears popped from the slight pressure difference as the door closed behind them. The two aliens were followed behind her, self-assured snickering between them as they batted at the flowers and bundles of fruit. ¡°Looks like your ship fought nature, won,¡± one of them said. ¡°Not a bad place, if you don''t mind sleeping and waking up in dirt and filth.¡±

    The comment made the two creatures chuckle again and Mira did her best to ignore them. She could see the occasional workers that had been left behind to attend the flowers in the garden, but she had been told by Queen and Kin that when far enough from the rest of the swarm, the bees had what they called ¡®splintering¡¯ as their hive mind became a separate one from the Queen and Kin. The bees had reassured her that any new hive mind that emerged would be able to be seamlessly reintegrated into the rest of Queen and Kin when they returned and rejoined the offshoot, but the partial stragglers comprising the swarm still remaining onboard The Apiary were effectively a new intelligence, and a new person that Mira would need to connect with if she were to have any hope of securing the ship from the two intruders.

    As the gelatinous trespassers continued oozing deeper into the ship, Mira felt a familiar tickle as a worker landed on her ear. It began buzzing to speak with her, although the change in tone as it spoke was somewhat jarring.

    ¡°Hi caretaker! Glad you''re back on board, but who are the other two you brought with you? We haven''t seen them before, and we don''t know if they''re nice or not.¡±

    Carefully cupping her hand around the worker, Mira lowered them down to her mouth so she could murmur quietly enough that the two aliens wouldn''t be able to hear, as they were distracted by pulling open boxes and rummaging around through half-filled planters to see if anything of value might be buried there.

    ¡°They''re not friends at all. I think they''re after the swarm¡¯s funds, and they seem willing to hurt me and probably you as well if they don''t get their way.¡±

    She uncupped her hands so the bee could once again land on her shoulder and whisper-buzz into her ear again.

    ¡°Oh, gotcha. Well, that''s no good. We¡¯ll send a worker out to try to connect with the queen, but in the meantime can you think of anything to get rid of them?¡±

    Mira felt her eyes nearly bug out of her head, doing her best not to hiss loudly as she whispered ¡°What do you mean me? You''re the one with centuries of experience!¡±

    ¡°Oh, we don''t really have that right now.¡± Somehow, the swarm sounded cheerful and unconcerned. ¡°Most of us are only a couple of months old. In fact, I was born yesterday!¡± said the worker buzzing merrily in her ear.

    Mira blinked, feeling a sort of wild disbelief as she realized she was the most-senior person on the ship aside from the intruders. ¡°Oh damn. Okay,¡± she said, doing her best to keep her breathing even and not start panicking further. ¡°Well, keep everyone out of sight, as I don''t know what these two will do, but I think I''ve got an idea of where to lead them.¡±

    ¡°Will do!¡± said the worker before buzzing off, Mira watched as they flew over to an electrical panel and ducked behind an upraised edge.

    ¡°Here now, little human, what are you looking for?¡± said one of the aliens, Humboldt if she remembered right. He had noticed her gaze, and slimed over to her, looking suspiciously at the wall but seeing nothing of note or interest. His single eye turned to regard the human, toothy maw curled as he warned her ¡°You best not be thinking of trying to interfere with us. Cooperate and give us the access to that account, and you''ll live to see your next sunrise.¡±

    ¡°Hey Humboldt!¡± said the other one with excitement, ¡°Come take a look what the little human has been collecting.¡± He pointed over to a bin in the pantry, and the other jelly-like alien surged over to see what Joubin was excited about.

    Reaching a pair of tentacles in, he pulled out clusters of strawberries that represented months of hard work. Chortling, Humboldt turned back to her, saying ¡°If you don''t cooperate, I might find my appetite growing for something more than just fruit,¡± he said, stuffing the entire cluster of strawberries that represented several meals and a volume the size of Mira''s head into the toothy mouth. Thanks to the semi-transparent nature of its skin, she could see as it got mashed and sliced, before the creature swallowed and the pulped fruit faded from view as it went into the more opaque regions of his chest.

    Mind racing as her eyes glanced around, Mira suddenly came upon a possible solution. Turning back to the two ooze monsters, she added a note of plaintive desperation. ¡°Eat what you want from there, but please don''t touch our holy fruits!¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Holy fruits?¡± said the smaller of the two, sitting up with interest. The other creature was somewhat more skeptical.

    ¡°You worship a fruit?¡±

    ¡°Some of us do; My parents did, and I followed in their footsteps,¡± said Mira, lying quickly as she gestured to a specific plant in the garden. ¡°That''s the one. It was something we were supposed to partake in a special ritual to eat, so I ask that you please don''t eat that.¡±

    The intruders crossed the mess hall and garden until they stood before the tree Mira had pointed to. Scrutinizing the small handful of bulbous red fruits, Humboldt looked back to her, eye narrowing. ¡±This is a holy fruit? Really? It looks like it''s got a bean stuck to it,¡± he said, pointing to the shell at the bottom of the cashew apple with a tendril.

    ¡°Well yes, of course,¡± said Mira, doing her best not to crack a grin as she said with all the seriousness she could muster ¡°Why else do you think we call ourselves ¡¯human beans?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± said Joubin. ¡°I guess I always thought it was pronounced ¡®beings.¡¯ You learn something new every cycle.¡±

    As his mouth twisted upwards in sadistic satisfaction, Humboldt said ¡°You best cooperate, or losing your special fruit won''t be the worst thing that happens to you today.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? No, stop!¡± Mira said, doing her best to put actual distress into her tone as the two aliens did exactly as she hoped and began grabbing and gobbling down the cashew apples, seed and all.

    Joubin had already downed four of the fruits, while Humboldt had been slower and only eaten one, chewing and savoring it while shooting her glances. Mira did her best to look distressed, but she realized it must not have been enough to sell the bluff as the larger of the two aliens paused as he went to pluck another cashew apple.

    ¡°You''re not nearly as distraught as I thought you''d be. Joubin, hold off, I think she might be-Joubin?¡±

    Turning to look, both the alien and human could see that the intruder¡¯s companion had stopped, frozen, and he began making an odd keening noise as he started clawing at and in his mouth. ¡°It burns! It burns! It burns!¡± he screeched, tendrils reaching into his gullet and attempting to disgorge the pieces of fruit.

    It was too late, and in fact doing so only further spread the itchy oils onto the tendrils as well. Howling, Joubin gushed past them, making his way for the exit in an attempt to find some kind of relief. She could also see that he was dripping chunks as well, the oil having some sort of interaction that was causing a breakdown of his structure as he moved.

    Unfortunately, while Humboldt looked nauseous and unsure, he quickly narrowed his eye in rage at Mira, saying ¡°You little ict-scum! I''m going to enjoy biting chunks off you until you scream for mercy!¡± he said, suddenly moving into action to try to catch her. But Mira was already running, turning to head towards a very specific part of the ship.

    She knew the vessel better than the alien, which meant that she had a head start even though she could tell that on a flat stretch he was probably slightly faster thanks to the limbless nature of his movement. Mira managed to get to the destination she had in mind with a few seconds to spare, and immediately dove over and mashed at the beeswax seal that she had put in place around the jettison tube.

    Immediately there was a hiss; Not as pronounced as the one when they had been in space, but soon came exactly the voice she hoped to hear.

    ¡°[Atmosphere loss detected. Atmosphere loss detected. Please move to a secure area.]¡±

    This time though she made no effort to block the leak, instead jumping up to try to tuck up out of sight amongst the conduits and vent overhangs in the section of the airlock. It was a tertiary entryway, and oriented with the door as the floor to allow for docking with much larger craft, so had been mostly used as a storage space instead. As a result, there was plenty to hide behind as the infuriated Humboldt barged in, growling and threatening all manner of harm upon Mira as he began slamming piles of spare boxes and metal sheeting.

    Counting off the seconds in her head, Mira could tell the moment was drawing very close when finally a flailing tentacle knocked aside the boxes she had been kneeling behind.

    ¡°There you-¡± Before he could finish, she had already leapt into action, jumping and narrowly avoiding a grasping tendril, landing roughly on her shoulder but managing to turn it into a somersaulting roll on the tempered glass window, before running up the shallow ramp formed by the airlock door to stand on the other side of the threshold.

    The automated voice spoke again: ¡±[Atmosphere pressure below acceptable levels. Pressure unstable: Isolation and purge initiated. Please stand clear.]¡±

    The door slammed shut, and Mira, safely on the other side, gave Humboldt a sardonic wave as the airlock door gave a warning beep and then likewise slammed open. There was a loud clatter as the various spare parts and stored items fell towards the landing pad far below, but Mira''s smile died as she saw the alien had managed to grab hold with a pair of tentacles on the conduits above. His look of shocked anger turned into a determined grin, as he began climbing across towards her.

    She could see that whatever species he was was not designed to be suspended, as there was a steady trickle of liquid and some smaller globules that were dripping off the bottom of his form, but nothing that would reduce his mass enough to stop him in time. With a balled-up tentacle, he began slamming on the door between him and Mira, and she could see the already after only a blow or two it was dented towards her.

    She wasn''t sure what to do, as she took a step back and one of the workers landed on her shoulder again.

    ¡°Not now, please. This is-I don''t know how to help protect you,¡± she said, feeling the fear and tears choking in her voice.

    ¡°Worry not, caretaker. We shall take care of them.¡±

    Mira let out a laugh of shock and relief as the space around Humboldt began filling with enraged bees. He managed to hold on for another second or two before the combined strain and pain of hanging suspended from tentacles being stung and bitten caused him to let go. She heard another fading howl, and almost imagined she heard a splat as he impacted on the landing pad below.

    Permission to come aboard?¡±

    Smiling, Mira opened the door and the swarm flew in. The difference in pressure popped her ears again, but this time she barely even noticed, as the swarm surrounded her and checked her, fussing and ensuring she was safe.

    Double checking to make sure the swarm had fully come in, Mira keyed the commands for the airlock to close, and felt a clenched tension fade as the doorway sealed shut. To her immense relief, Mira was finally again aboard The Apiary, with Queen and Kin alone as company.

 Ch. 11: Splinter

    It had been nearly two days since The Apiary had been boarded and Mira taken hostage by the would-be burglars, but Queen and Kin were still fretting over her, as if they expected to find a previously undiscovered injury or concern with each new check.

    Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Mira gently brushed a few workers out of her hair, ones who had ¡®accidentally¡¯ bumped her, but conveniently remained on her as well, checking for the umpteenth time for damage or bruises. While Mira had escaped the encounter with little more than a sore elbow from her escape leap past the alien¡¯s grasp, the two aliens had not fared as well.

    When Mira had taken a look out on the landing pad, fully expecting to see the splattered and deceased remains of Humboldt, instead she saw a wet patch on the grating, but nothing else and no sign of his presence other than a juicy trail that led off towards the market. When she had a chance to ask Queen and Kin about them, they confirmed that likely the two aliens were alive, if sorely regretting their actions.

    ¡°Diuks are generally resilient to any physical long-term damage from physical injuries, but the regeneration and reforming process can be quite uncomfortable. As for the one that you fed the cashew apple to, that likely was just as painful if not more so, as urushiol oil lingers even under the best of circumstances, and the Diuks have a much harder time clearing toxins and contaminants from their physiology.¡±

    ¡°I hadn''t intended to do any long-term damage,¡± she said truthfully. ¡°I thought maybe he would get a little sick, throw up, and give me a chance to run away.¡±

    ¡°While admirable, you need not fear that they were slain as a result. Although humans could theoretically suffer enough rash and inflammation to constrict airways in the aftermath of an ingestion, that species does not respirate through inflammable passageways. Most likely they are uncomfortable in the extreme, but will survive to perform criminal activities another day.¡±

    Mira could detect a note of disappointment that at that last statement, causing her to turn on the main cluster of Queen and Kin near her, saying half-jokingly and half-accusingly ¡°Oh, so criminal activity is a problem now? Like that time you hacked into a port authority database to release my ship out of impound?¡±

    For one of the first times she could recall, Queen and Kin did not reply or break into a buzz of wordless discussion, but instead went dead silent for a beat in what she could only imagine was self-conscious embarrassment, before in a more hesitant and delicate tone the swarm finally spoke.

    ¡°There were extenuating circumstances, and we stand by our assessments that the port authority was acting in a corrupt and unjust manner. However, we also can''t go about applying similar liberties to everyone whose ship is facing lock-up, as that could strongly-threaten general stability and order.¡±

    She''d had similar discussions with the hive before, and teasingly she called back to a favorite question of hers: ¡°So it''s better to have order under corruption, rather than chaos and integrity?¡±

    There started to be a buzz of discussion again at the question, but it was abruptly silenced with the Queen and Kin speaking again. However, this time the voice was somewhat discordant compared to their normal echoing unity.

    ¡°A pertinent question, caretaker, but let us return to focus on the matter at hand, and revisit that discussion in the coming days.¡±

    Shrugging, Mira nodded but internally chalked up a point on the invisible tally board of debates she had had with Queen and Kin. That was one thing she strongly appreciated with the new queen, as the original she had set off with from the waystation had been kindly, but also distant; willing to answer questions, but tending to avoid longer or more philosophical discussions.

    Mira didn''t press at the time because she was still getting used to the newness of it all, but now with the new queen she had regular discussions on morals and thoughts. Most of it was things she was learning and discussing, taught by the hive itself, but there were a few nuggets here and there that she could impart in return. Many of these concepts were ones her parents had taught to her, or that she had learned on her own when bored and cooped up in a study while they were giving lectures.

    A loud clatter and clunk from one of the decks below made Mira jump, and already she could sense her frustration and embarrassment as Queen and Kin buzzed with internal discussion before addressing her in a concerned tone once more.

    ¡°Are you sure there''s nothing else we can do to help? While it may be a somewhat-slow process, we do have the resources, both financially and in terms of the swarm itself, to track down where the intruders have slunk off to and¡­permanently ensure your safety in that regard.¡±

    Mira groaned, rubbing her neck as she began descending a ladder to go inspect the source of the noise.

    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I think I¡¯d feel best if we just focused on getting underway sooner rather than later.¡±

    She hadn''t had the chance to really wander around and explore the city, or the planet itself for that matter, but the market streets had proven useful to at least let her stretch her legs and walk in a straight line for more than a dozen pieces at a time, which was still appreciating nonetheless. The planet itself was also quite beautiful, rolling green and purple hills dotted with all manner of rock and gemstone formations, even if they did appear to lack any floor or fauna.

    She already knew why she couldn''t traipse around outside of the sealed and protective regions of the city, as she had asked Queen and Kin multiple times on their voyage here what this planet was like. The answer was that while the atmosphere was a suitably Earth-like mix to allow for breathing with no respirator or ventilator assistance, the weather was not so cooperative, and the term ¡®sulfuric hurricane¡¯ had been thrown around several times. Here and there while she had been asking around, Mira had ventured to the edges and outskirts of the city, where fully-covered walkways gave way to intermittent awnings and reinforced tarps.

    Despite the clear weather, she still held back from venturing too far out, seeing numerous signs of acidic pocking and scarring along all the buildings here. The weather could apparently change at a moment¡¯s notice, and she had no desire to get caught flat-footed and given a caustic shower, so she had refrained from further exploration in that regard.

    Mira had reached the bottom of the ladder and entered into the cargo hold, where a crew was loading on the last of their shipping containers for their trek. They were basins of effectively sugar water, nutritional energy supplements for the bees in case the flowers ceased to be sufficient or some other disaster befell their primary food source. Additionally, it gave the bees something to do over a long voyage, focusing on draining the large tankers and refilling them with their own handcrafted honey.

    Stolen story; please report.

    The thought of the voyage ahead made Mira anxious. Guepa was relatively close as far as stellar distances went, a mere half-dozen light years away but it still represented six more years that Mira would be separate from her parents, wherever they were, and If they were even still alive.

    Queen and Kin had proudly showed her the stasis pod they had acquired, so she would not be required to be awake for the full voyage. Mira had enjoyed their company, but admitted to herself that the possibility of avoiding some of the long stretches of the boredom and cabin fever she had underwent during her first trip was likely worth the trade-off. The bees had also reassured her that they would awaken her should any emergency requiring her attention arise.

    Still, she did feel anxious about leaving the bees alone for that long. Mira knew that, as a collective, the bees were perfectly capable of functioning without her, but they seemed to also crave human companionship to thrive, and as the final workers finished loading the reserve sugar syrup tanks and left the cargo hold, It was oddly quiet apart from the background hum of the hive as the cargo bay doors closed and latched, hissing as the bay pressurized to match the comfortable atmosphere inside of the ship.

    The queen and her entourage had been supervising the installation of the storage tanks, and now came to fly over and land across Mira¡¯s shoulders and arms. As Mira made her way up the back, towards the primary midsection of the ship with the mess hall and garden, she could feel The Apiary rumble beneath her feet, with a lurch as the ship took off. It was heading into orbit, before it would initiate a full-burn, slingshotting around the sun warming their current world, and beginning the long voyage to one of the moons that hopefully contained her parents, or at least clues as to if they were still alive and where they had been for so long.

    ¡°You are thinking about them again, are you not, caretaker?¡±

    Mira blinked, slowly realizing she''d been coiling a strand of hair around her finger again.

    ¡°I''m not sure if this is going to end with a happy reunion, or me finding them buried in some grave, or dead in a wrecked ship and not buried at all. Space is big, and every time I think about what might have happened to them, my brain comes up with some new awful thing to fill in the gap of why they never reached out.¡±

    The queen had climbed up onto Mira''s finger, and she could see her nuzzle her finger with her fuzzy head before the swarm spoke again, but with the queen¡¯s own voice ringing clear through it.

    ¡°Without more information, further guesses will just lead to further heartache. We go now to find information for you, and hopefully closure. Regardless of if their fate is good or ill, knowing it at least precludes further sorrow, and ensures your imagination does not torture you with hypotheticals any longer.¡±

    Mira sighed, but knew that the queen was probably right. ¡°It''s just that not knowing is so hard,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, part of this struggle may have been that on our last voyage, you had years to dwell upon possibilities and hypotheticals. Now, it shall be as if you fell asleep, and woke up at our destination. It will not prevent your mind from wandering and wondering whilst awake, but it at least reduces the opportunities for it to do so.¡±

    Double checking in the bridge to ensure everything was functioning as normal, which of course thanks to the careful attention of the bees it was, Mira made her way down to grab a snack from the pantry: some honey-drizzled dried strawberries, and checking a few new plantings of fruit trees and other additions to the garden she had purchased from the vendor.

    She''d also taken the opportunity to buy an irrigation system, little more than a timer and some small hoses to attach to the water recycling output, but it gave her something to do for a few hours, occupying her hands and mind while the bees informed her as to the appropriate watering levels for the various new plants. There were even a few exotic alien flowers they were unfamiliar with, something that excited Mira as an opportunity to show Queen and Kin something they''d never seen before.

    But soon the projects dried up and Mira knew there were no other urgent tasks needing her attention before initiating her hibernation. Sitting one last time on the edge of the pod, she spoke with the queen, and the queen alone The other bees were attending either to the pod controls or other matters elsewhere through the ship. She knew she never was truly alone in speaking to just one bee from the swarm, but Mira felt a closer connection to the queen then she did for any of the countless unnamed and faceless workers and drones.

    That train of thought led to a question that had been bouncing around in her mind for some time. ¡°Queen, do you have a name other than your title.¡±

    The queen looked up to her and then looked down, deep in thought and unresponsive for some time. After a little while Mira began to worry that she had been rude, and started to apologize when the queen buzzed in reassurance.

    ¡°No, no, it''s all right. I''m not offended: It is simply a question we''ve seldom been asked before. Typically, if someone was asked and are told we are called ¡®Queen and Kin¡¯, no further questions are necessary or pursued.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but Queen and Kin is a title or a family name, I would think,¡± said Mira. ¡°You''re saying you don''t have names individually?¡±

    The queen seemed hesitant. *¡±Our life spans are short compared to humans: Why would it make sense for us to have such names, if even queens only last a scant handful of years, and the workers last only a season or two.¡±

    Mira frowned. ¡°That''s not a good reason to not at least have some pride in who you are as a single person. You''re amazing as a group, but I''d say but from what I can tell, each one of you could and should be seen as a person in your own right. Heck, humans don''t live forever either, so compared to a species that lives for hundreds of years at a time, why would it make sense for humans to name ourselves either?¡±

    The queen was silent again, but Mira could see that the queen''s head was still tilted, curious as she contemplated the suggestions from the human. ¡°I''m not saying you have to upend everything all at once,¡± Mira said, ¡°But at least give it some consideration. I''d be happy to try and learn as many names as I can, just to make sure I''m not ignoring anyone who wants to be seen as more than just a part in a collective.¡±

    The stasis pod beeped insistently, and Mira began her final preparations to engage the pod for the long trip.

    ¡°But if we are not part of a collective, what are we?¡± asked the queen, and Mira could tell that this was less of a question on behalf of the hive, and more of a question directly from the queen.

    ¡°That''s the cool thing,¡± said Mira as she laid down in her stasis pod, stretching and getting a sip of water from her nearby canteen before laying back.¡±When you''re just yourself, you can be anything you want. That''s what my parents said, and that seems to ring true so far.¡±

    The pod door started to close, but Mira¡¯s brow furrowed, and she shot her hand out, blocking it as it beeped in annoyance at the obstruction and paused the closing procedure.

    ¡°Queen,¡± she said softly, ¡°Do you have a name you would like to be known as?¡±

    There was a pause as the queen turned, and Mira could see the insect had turned to face the distant garden. A few of the more remote and recent planters were visible around the cargo bay entrance, even though the majority of foliage was around several corners and up a flight of stairs. After a moment, the Queens spoke again, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

    ¡°I think if I were to have a name for myself, it would be that of my favorite flower from amongst the new ones you acquired and planted for us.¡±

    Mira smiled as she knew exactly which one she was referring to, the queen having delighted in it ever since she had first smelled the distinct aroma. Laying back in her stasis pot she said ¡°Good choice. Good night, Rose.¡± Then the pods sealed shut, a film of ice and a crackle of energy surging through as the human was put into suspended animation.

    Landing gently atop the pod, Rose looked through the glass at the sleeping human within. ¡°Goodbye, Mira.¡±

 Ch. 12: Schism

    Mira yawned as she awoke to the gentle chime of the stasis pod. She could feel a bit of stiffness near some of her fingers and toes, but nothing that felt more out of place than if she¡¯d just slept on it funny, and the automated voice said cheerfully ¡±[Stasis complete; In orbit at destination. You have been in hibernation for 6 years, 12 cycles, and 8 hours.]¡±

    To her surprise, she realized she felt slightly disappointed that she hadn''t had to be woken up during her rest, but even as a seals in the pod cracked open she could smell the rich scent of hundreds of flowers from two dozen different species at least, a complex aroma that made her smile as she could pick out the scents of flowers that had been mere shoots and cuttings she had planted before entering the pod.

    However, something was nagging the back of her mind. It wasn''t the sound of the ship, for the engine rumbled sounded normal, and she could hear the distant hum and buzz of the bees as they cared for the ship and attended the plants, but she could feel as if something that she had meant to do or say or remember before entering hibernation was now at the forefront of her mind. For a moment she wondered if she had some sort of cryo-amnesia, although she wasn''t sure if she''d ever heard of such a thing outside of science fiction holo-movies.

    She got up and stretched, yawning again and itching at the shorter fuzzy hairs on the back of her neck. It still felt like she had forgotten something crucial, and she began running over possibilities in her head as she stepped into the former mess hall. There was still a chair and part of the bench that were available for her, but all other surfaces she had covered with planters before she had rested, filling them with rich earth and soil, plentiful seeds and a few finger-sized green shoots.

    Now, the planter boxes were overflowing, clusters of flowers on some, fruit on others, and amongst all of them dozens of fuzzy bees bumbling from one flower to the next. Mira could see a few of them notice her, buzzing and doing excited loops, bouncing gently off of her head before flying off, presumably to speak with the rest of the Queen and Kin elsewhere on the ship.

    As she walked past, Mira could even see a few bees resting within the captive embrace of flower petals, tired after diligent hours of pollination and upkeep of their precious hive. But then Mira caught sight of something amidst the flowers and blooms.

    Nestled between some sets of rose bushes was a small container that appeared to be made of wax, one that was uncomfortably familiar. Her stomach dropped as she rushed over to examine it, and her fears were confirmed when she saw the prominent and singular flower that had been carved into the lid of the small wax sarcophagus.

    ¡°Rose¡­¡± she said, feeling her throat beginning to clench, ¡°No-I''m sorry, I didn''t-I didn''t realize-I forgot-¡±

    Words failed her as she continued to stammer, but her frantic train of thought was disrupted by the voice of Queen and Kin.

    ¡°We are glad you''ve awoken, caretaker. Our mother spoke highly of you and expressed her deepest regrets that she could not be there when the voyage was concluded.¡±

    A single bee, the new queen given their size and vivid yellow traceries and enamels drawn across her abdomen, landed on Mira¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I have been queen regent for two years now, following our mother''s passing.¡±

    As they explained, Mira could hear an odd discordance in the normal unity of Queen and Kin''s voice, particularly when the swarm hit buzzed out ¡®queen regent.¡¯ Additionally, Mira could tell the tone was different when the swarm addressed her, much more strict and formal than she remembered it being when she had been able to speak with Rose.

    ¡°We have reached orbit, and are prepared to descend to investigate the nearest of the two moons. If our search is unsuccessful, the other moon of Guepa is but a few hours flight away. Was your hibernation restful, caretaker?¡±

    Mira felt the urge to growl in frustration, but tried to keep her tone calm as she said ¡°Restful enough, but damn it, I hadn''t realized Rose wasn''t going to make it through the trip.¡±

    The swarm spoke again, and this time there was a note of comfort and reassurance in the Queen and Kin''s tone.

    ¡°This is a part of our cycle, of our expectations in our life and what will happen after. Even you, caretaker, have an endpoint. Even though your lifespan exceeds ours by many times, there will come a day where you pass into the Garden of Infinite Flowers as well, but that does not preclude you from being valued and appreciated both while you are here, and after.¡±

    Mira sniffed, grabbing a scrap of fabric to serve as a handkerchief as she didn''t want to blow her nose into the cuff of her new outfit. Well, to her it felt new, something she''d owned for less than a week, but she supposed it had been in the stasis chamber with her and was now technically six years old. Still, the fabric along with the human who wore it were in suspended animation, neither aging nor degrading, so she supposed it made sense it was still in perfect condition.

    But now it felt like Queen and Kin was potentially a stranger yet again, someone to have to relearn and get used to, and now with the stasis pod Mira worried how many more times would she have to remake introductions, rediscover who the queen was and how they related to her, and how many times would she have to mourn for a lost friend and traveling companion?

    ¡°You appear, troubled caretaker. Are there any questions we can help answer?¡±

    Mira took a deep breath, doing her best to avoid sobbing in front of the bees, before taking another breath and letting it whoosh out as she felt herself steady somewhat. Turning to the cluster of insects, she said ¡°I don''t suppose you have a name?¡±

    ¡°Well, we are still called Queen and Kin,¡± said the swarm hesitantly, ¡°But as for individual names, no.¡±

    Here Mira noticed again that discordance, as if when the swarm spoke, only part of it did so, the rest being a buzzing hum of overlapping sounds and noise.

    ¡°Our mother was much more curious and explorative in that regard, but we have found we much prefer the traditional choices of a title for the swarm, and no calling out of anyone within as greater or lesser than the rest¡±

    ¡°And yet still you are attended to?¡±

    Mira jumped at the sound. It was the voice of the swarm, quieter but still in a noted chorus, and not carrying the tone that she''d expect of the queen.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°It is rich for a monarch to claim equality, while at the same time being waited on by attendants.¡±

    As this second mysterious voice spoke, Mira looked around, trying to pin down where amongst the bees the sound was coming from. It was the voice of the swarm, but she was having trouble visualizing and seeing who it was that was speaking. The sound seemed to come from within the rest of the swarm itself. The queen spoke again, this time a tone of anger but also familiarity with the unseen speaker resonating in her furious response.

    ¡°Come out and face me, then. You would claim you are not royalty, and yet you would dare to defy me and divide The Apiary itself over your desire to lead?¡±

    There was a loud burst of buzzing from one of the nearby electronics panels as the panel popped open and out emerged a swarm of perhaps two dozen or so bees and, within them, Mira could see a single queen. She was clearly visible thanks to the shimmering coat of glitter-like paint across her body, in stark contrast to the much more traditionally flat yellow the current queen wore on her body.

    ¡°Wait, there are two of you?¡± she asked in confusion.

    ¡°Incorrect. There is only one queen, and then there is this usurper princess who fancies herself as such.¡±

    The tone of the swarm here was filled with venom, and Mira could sense that the vast majority of it was driven by the personal anger of the queen herself. The other bee with the glimmering body turned to the human, and evenly said ¡±I am also a rightful queen, Caretaker Mira. While my sister was hatched before me, I was fed the royal jelly and bestowed all rights to this swarm the same as her. You may call me Hybris.¡±

    Queen Hybris had landed behind Mira, and part of her smaller swarm squared-up in opposition to the elder queen¡¯s controlled group. It appeared to be a detente, both sides watching the other as Mira carefully said ¡°So how does this normally get resolved? Do y''all put it to a vote or something?¡±

    ¡°A battle to the death,¡± said the other queen in response, blunt and unwilling to hide the severity of this from the human.

    ¡°Your death, most likely,¡± said Hybris. almost seeming to relish in the buzz of anger it elicited from the other''s swarm.

    ¡°Is there any chance you might consider not trying to kill each other over this?¡± asked Mira, but then the swarm spoke unison as both voices said a resounding ¡°NO!¡±

    Mira sat back in her seat, trying to think of anything to help as it seemed like both groups were waiting on an unspoken signal to attack the other.

    ¡°Do you have to battle here?¡± asked Mira desperately. She was trying to think of any way to forestall her friends fighting amongst themselves. The swarm buzzed again.

    ¡°No, this insolence cannot be allowed to last. No longer.¡±

    However, the iridescent and younger Queen Hybris paused in her response. Another few seconds later, and the creature¡¯s antennae begin to twitch as she had an idea.

    ¡°Caretaker Mira, it could be possible for us to simply swarm and separate, and survive on the moon itself. It is habitable, if only just barely, and we could take our shuttlecraft and utilize that if ever we needed to abandon that world.¡±

    Mira nodded in agreement then paused. ¡°Wait, shuttlecraft? When did we get a shuttlecraft?¡±

    With an irritated tone, the elder queen spoke through the swarm.

    ¡°The burglars who had attempted to board our vessel had left their own behind. Rose determined that it would be appropriate to hold it in our cargo hold for safekeeping, to be returned to them if they ever claimed, but seeing as that possibility was unlikely, it was to serve as a personal shuttlecraft for us instead in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°But wait, we''re light years away,¡± said Mira. ¡°How they possibly know where we went or how to get ahold of us?¡±

    ¡°That would be a problem for them to deal with,¡± the younger queen said snarkily. ¡°In any case, that would be amenable to us and my portion of the swarm, if it is agreeable to you?¡±

    The elder¡¯s swarm did not answer, but Mira could see that thousands more bees had come in from elsewhere in the ship, quietly and unspokenly-summoned, and she could see that only perhaps a quarter had veered off to join Hybris.

    The younger queen flew over to land on Mira''s ear, and quietly buzzed ¡°Caretaker Mira, I do not think we''ll be allowed to leave willingly. Rose coded you as a designated owner of the craft after we salvaged it, so it is something you could open for us, but I would ask that you please hurry to do so.¡±

    Mira hesitated for a moment, watching what had become two separate armies growing and waiting, and then she ran, diving down stairs where she dared and hearing the angry buzzing of insectoid warfare behind her. She dodged around corners, a few errant workers still on their way to the conflict bumping in flying past, but one or two clung to her and buzzed insistently in the quiet voice of the elder queen.

    ¡°Caretaker, this is the way it has always been done: The strongest royal prevails, and the upstarts are dealt with.¡±

    ¡°Just because it¡¯s been done like that-¡± Mira said between gulping gasps of air as she reached the cargo bay doors ¡°-doesn''t mean it always has to be like that.¡±

    Spotting the lumpy and fairly-ugly ship in one corner of the cargo bay, she ran over, looking frantically for a door until she found a recessed spot she realized must be a handhold. Reach her hand down, there was a beep as the latch unlocked and the door eased open.

    Mira could hear the buzzing as the swarm approached, the younger queen evidently taking this moment to flee for the safety of the shuttlecraft. She flew in, her swarm buzzing a distinct ¡±Thank you, Caretaker Mira. We are forever in your debt¡­¡± before the last few flew in. Mira could almost see the darkening second swarm gathering at the entryway, and went to go reclose the door when she saw that the worker that had been buzzing at her ear had landed defiantly in the path of the door.

    ¡°I will not permit this, caretaker. Sometimes lives must end for order to reign in our hive.¡±

    Knowing the worker was there to stop Mira from closing the door, she cried out in sorrow and frustration, clenching her eyes shut as she pulled with all her might, feeling her heart skip a beat as they heard the distinct crunch of a smashed body before the door sealed shut.

    Then the shuttlecraft began warming up, even as the rest of the swarm arrived, seeking any sort of opening or vulnerability on the airtight ship. The elder queen herself had landed on Mira''s shoulder, and insofar as an insect could, regarded her coldly.

    ¡°We''ll remember how you have acted, caretaker. Sometimes it is necessary to suffer losses in order to thrive, but that is no longer a decision we permit humans to make for us.¡±

    Eyes welling with tears as Mira saw the still wings tips poking from the rubber gasket, she spun, striding towards the door as she hissed ¡°I wasn''t doing it so you would thrive. I was doing it so Hybris and her kin would survive.¡± With that, she roughly brushed the queen off of her shoulder, the insect tumbling for a few feet until she caught herself and hovered.

    As Mira raced to her room, feeling the ship lurch as the shuttlecraft departed, the echoing voice of the Queen and Kin followed her up the passageway.

    ¡°Then which hive do you serve, caretaker? Which queen do you pretend to call friend?¡±

 Ch. 13: Reforge

    ¡±[Scanning initiated: Pass 01 is anticipated to conclude in 1.5 hours.]¡±

    Mira groaned. They would need to make dozens of these scanning passes from low orbit in order to find anything of note on the surface below. The sensors on The Apiary were luckily moderately powerful and with a broad-enough scanning profile that a low-orbit observation like this was possible, but it still meant it would take most of the day and maybe a little bit into the next to scan just one of the two moons.

    She could almost make out the shape of the second one, a much larger planetoid that looked from here to be the size of a pea, gently suspended in the starry sky. It was quiet, dull work to keep the ship on-course for the scan, and Mira desperately wished for someone, anyone to talk to.

    However, ever since the departure of Hybris and her faction, the remaining swarm had refused to talk with her. Queen and Kin had been avoiding her, and even the bees in areas of the ship she entered fell silent from their normal background buzz and hum, watching her impassionately until she left the room before resuming their work.

    It was equal parts unnerving and infuriating, as she wanted to tell Queen and Kin that she would have done the same for them had the situation been reversed, but something about how passionately and unwaveringly the old queen had been about this being a conflict that could only be resolved with the death of her or her sister told Mira that such words would fall on deaf ears. Hybris had appeared to understand, which had led to her retreat and departure, but the elder queen was much more inflexible when it came to rules and traditions.

    Mira was almost tempted to give her a nickname, so that she could refer to in the vein of Rose or Hybris, but a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her that this would likely lead to accidentally calling the queen the nickname to her face, and thanks to her antiquated view on personal names, it would likely be seen as a grave insult even if the nickname was inoffensive, and doubly so if the nickname could be construed in any way as a potential insult.

    As the first scan neared the halfway point, Mira could feel her attention start to wander. It was dry, boring work, but she wanted to make sure she was thorough, as the only thing worse than finding her parents in such a desolate place would be missing them entirely, especially if they saw her ship and had false hope that she would rescue them. Her thoughts conjured the idea of a triumphant return, her parents looking just like she''d remembered them, maybe a gray hair or two here and there, rushing into their embrace as-

    ¡±[Warning! Critical deviation detected; please correct flight path.]¡±

    Mira started upright, the ship having begun to drift to one side and the scanning region almost unrelated to the current scan path as the ship threatened to swerve off course. Fighting against the drift, Mira began aiming the ship back to the course highlighted on the screen as Queen and Kin arrived, buzzing into the space on the bridge, their silence and animosity temporarily put aside as they spoke.

    ¡°Caretaker what did you do? These readings show the ship almost began a dangerous de-orbit trajectory.¡±

    Well, it sounded like the frustrations had not entirely been put aside, Mira mentally amended as she said ¡°I accidentally veered a little bit, and it started throwing this error.¡±

    ¡°You start to veer-why are you flying for a defined search path?¡±

    The tone of the question made Mira roll her eyes. ¡°What, am I supposed to just wish that the scan was complete instead?¡±

    There was a pause and a slight buzz from the swarm. Mira thought it was discussion or frustration, but then realized it was probably most accurately interpreted as a chuckle.

    ¡°No, caretaker; You just need to use the autopilot.¡±

    By way of demonstration, a set of bees landed upon the one of the control pads and danced and moved around. A few moments later, the flight stick jerked in her hand as a cheerful voice chimed ¡±[Autopilot engaged. Returning to search course. Scan 01 still in progress.]¡±

    Mira stared in disbelief. ¡°Then what the hell have I been doing for the last half an hour?¡±

    ¡°It does appear that you input the search grid correctly, so that was a useful contribution.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because you stepped me through how to do it earlier!¡±

    ¡°Be that as it may, it was still done correctly. Additionally, your piloting was fluid and regimented-enough that barring that final deviation, we had been unaware the ship was not on autopilot in the first place. Otherwise, we would have addressed it and activated it sooner.¡±

    Mira snorted ¡°So you''re saying I fly like a robot then?¡±

    ¡°Caretaker-¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks-¡±

    ¡°Caretaker, we-¡±

    ¡°Good to know that you can just replace me with a cogent or budget android at the next spot we land at!¡±

    ¡°Mira, please!¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Mira closed her mouth, stunned into silence in shock as the elder queen spoke her name for the first time.

    ¡°Caretaker Mira, we understand you are upset with us, and we anticipate you know that we are also upset with you. But a single crack does not necessarily shatter a vessel, and a single disagreement need not break a bond formed over many years. It will take some time to restore what connections have been lost but we would not have it all be thrown away.¡±

    Mira fought back the urge to say something snarky, something off the cuff that would make her feel better in the moment even if it would further disrupt and damage things in the long run. Then she took a breath and said ¡°I appreciate that, but also this wasn''t a minor disagreement.¡± She could feel the edges of her eyes starting to water as she said carefully ¡°You were trying to kill someone who is a part of my family. Many someones, and just because they may be estranged right now does not make them any less so.¡±

    Queen and Kin buzzed in internal discussion for a moment before replying.

    ¡°But we have endured cycles of life and death both before we had even met you, caretaker, as well as after our joining. You yourself even killed a worker by your own hand and active action.¡±

    Mira''s eyes narrowed, and she could feel the snappy and angry lashback she wanted to use rising in her throat, but then she took another long breath, this time notably more forced, and kept her tone as measured as she could as she said ¡°You put that worker there, to try to make sure you could access and kill your sister and her followers. If I did not kill one, you would have murdered thousands.¡± As the swarm began to buzz in discussion once more, she added ¡°Know that I would have done exactly the same had you been the ones seeking escape, and Hybris been the pursuer.¡±

    At that second statement, the hive¡¯s humming discussion quieted, and she realized that while she had naturally felt that way the whole time, she had never said as much out loud.

    ¡°You did not choose to serve Hybris specifically?¡±

    The swarm¡¯s tone was cautious, but also curious, and Mira could sense that this was not just the queen speaking through the swarm, but the thoughts and questions of many other individuals amongst it as well.

    ¡°No,¡± she said simply. ¡°I''m never going to choose between family members that I love and care for, and help one of them to harm the other. I''m not a fan of conditional love, and while I know that my mind and ideals may be different from yours, that''s also not something I''m going to give up on and change either.¡±

    The swarm roared wordlessly in discussion, but did not say anything afterwards. Instead, what broke the short silence was the chime from the ship, saying cheerfully ¡±[Scan 01 complete. Would you like to begin Scan 02, or would you like to navigate to Marker Alpha, a 15-minute deviation?]¡±

    ¡°¡®Marker Alpha?¡¯ I didn''t add anything like that,¡± Mira said in confusion.

    ¡°We did. It is related to a request of the late queen.¡± The swarm spoke distantly, as if trying not to think too deeply on it. ¡°It was another way that she wished to break with tradition, as she did not wish to be cremated in the light of the suns that shine both on us and on the Garden of Infinite Flowers.¡±

    ¡°Wait, she didn''t want that?¡± asked Mira.

    ¡°¡°No. She wished to be buried.¡±

    <hr>

    The ship had descended to the marker location, and Mira carried the tomb of Rose with her, the small wax shape almost weightless in her hand. In her other hand she held something that she wished to give as a gift for the burial site, something that the swarm had at first been hesitant about.

    ¡°This is already a break from tradition, to bury a past queen rather than burn her, and now you would add this? To a virgin world, no less?¡±

    Mira nodded firmly. ¡°I know it''s what she would have wanted. And I think you know it too,¡± she said, giving the swarm a slight smile. Another buzz of discussion rose up, but Queen and Kin offered no further protest as Mira strode out with both the sarcophagus of the former queen, as well as the small leafy rose cutting.

    Carefully digging a hole, Mira could feel herself growing slightly short of breath. She was still wearing a ventilation mask, adding supplemental oxygen to a thin atmosphere that was little besides carbon dioxide, argon, and some trace hydrocarbons. The swarm had occupied the vacuum suit once more, lumbering slowly and carefully across the sharper rocks to avoid puncturing the material. While the atmosphere here was barely suitable for a human, it would have been toxically-unbreathable for a mere bee.

    But that was no longer concern of Rose, and after she felt like the hole was appropriately deep, Mira carefully placed the tomb at the bottom of it, and began gently heaping dirt back into the hole. Once it was almost filled, she also added the rose cutting, likewise heaping soil around that and patting it. Finally, she uncorked a container of water and gently poured it over the turned soil to help the cutting root. There were some distant storm clouds visible on the moon, and sensors had shown enough water and rainfall that such a cutting, while it might have a hard time establishing, was projected to have at least a coin-flip chance of living and growing further.

    Bowing her head, Mira spoke softly. ¡°I didn''t have much of a chance to know your predecessor, and they were gone so quickly into our voyage I don''t think it really sunk in at the time. But you¡­you were like a sister to me, and a mentor, and taught me all about the natural world; how to grow green things for both food and beauty, and you were always patient with me with all my questions, and the first few times I tried growing something and drowning it with overwatering. I wish you''d been able to meet my parents, Rose, but I think in a way you were like a parent to me when I needed it as well. I promise I''ll be back here as often as I can, and I promise I will never forget you.¡±

    Sniffling, Mira fought the urge again to wipe at her nose with her sleeve, the blue and purple fabric of the dress tunic flowing around her, the material tough enough to avoid snagging on the rocks they had climbed over. She took a step back to stand next to the vacuum-suited swarm of Queen and Kin.

    ¡°That was beautiful: thank you.¡±

    As they spoke, she could see the head of the suit had started to tilt as it stared at her dress, looking curiously across the fabric and stitched patterns.

    ¡°Caretaker, there appears to be traceries and shapes of flowers on this dress, but only in the ultraviolet spectrum. However, we thought humans did not see that frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Mira with a smile, sniffing through some tears. ¡°It was a surprise for you.¡±

    The swarm was quiet for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°Thank you, Caretaker. It is much appreciated.¡±

    Mira sighed in both sadness and relief as she felt the weight of the bees through one of the arms of the suit rest gently on her shoulder, the closest they could safely be when she could tell they wished to perch along her arms and shoulders once more.

    Together, they stood for a time, watching the gentle and almost-airless breeze ruffled the few leaves on the rose of the grave.

 Ch. 14: Wreck

    As the countdown timer ticked slowly down and the number of hours and passes remaining dwindled into the single digits, Mira had begun to lose hope that her parents were on this moon. There was also always the second moon to explore, but part of her thought this would have been the more likely one. Part of her expected it to be so immediate that they would be able to detect a signal without even descending from orbit, and arrive triumphant to save her parents from whatever survival camp they had established and thrived on, against the odds, for over a decade.

    But scan after scan showed nothing. The latest results were flashing as negative, and even as she pulled up the file to begin checking the trace readings, she could feel her eyes sliding across it, reading the same ¡±[Negative]...[Negative]...[Negative]¡± over and over again.

    Then a flash of faint color caught her eye, and the words ¡±[Trace radiation signature detected.]¡± This moon didn''t have any significant radioactive source to speak of so far; That wasn''t to say it was impossible that it might pick something else up, but it was at least unusual.

    Mira took a glance at the readout and saw as the scan continued, more specs and spots were appearing on the edge of the scan radius. It almost appeared more concentrated towards the edge of the scan pathway, then the specs began to fade in concentration once more.

    However, to Miras untrained eye, the glimmering points seem to form a gradient: A fan-like pattern, narrowing down towards a single point that looked to be square in the middle of the next scan path over.

    She could feel her heart was in her throat, as the only thing she could think of that would cause such a pattern would be a reactor casing, suggesting her parent''s ship exploded in a fiery cataclysm as a reactor breach was almost never survivable.

    She took a long breath to try and calm herself before she got too set along her guesses, and Mira called for Queen and Kin, showing them the readout as a cluster of bees swarmed in to check the readings. While the bees were omnipresent in the rest of the ship, it seemed that they had left her degree of privacy when she would perform her ritual of checking the scan results, but the bees that had arrived began buzzing and flaring with excitement.

    ¡°That certainly looks like a debris pattern. But you seem unusually concerned about what should bring exultation?¡±

    ¡°It looks to me like a reactor breach.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is the most likely cause, but it''s not the only one. They may have vented irradiated fuel; there may have been a radioactive leak that contaminated supplies that were then jettisoned; or the entire core itself may have been jettisoned. Additionally, if the reactor was in an inert or low-power configuration, such damage could destroy the core but not result in the large explosion you are likely envisioning from the holo-movies.¡±

    Mira nodded, before freezing mid-gesture. ¡°You don''t suppose this could be Hybris¡¯s shuttle, could it?¡±

    The question of the upstart queen caused the swarm to still, and their voice was notably colder when they responded.

    ¡°No. Fortunately for the rebel, the total mass here exceeds the entire weight of the engine core of the craft they stole by an order of magnitude. Additionally, some of these readings are showing as being partially buried, which would be highly unlikely for debris ejected from an impact only a day ago.¡±

    She let out a sigh of relief, although she did realize that a painful and splattery demise was probably exactly what the queen had been hoping for from the initial debris scan readings.

    ¡±[Scan 45 complete.Beginning scan 46]¡± chimed the navigational array, and Mira could feel as the ship followed the autopilot path laid out by the search pattern, smoothly swooping to rotate around before beginning the steady and normally-unexciting process of doing a wide spectral scan of the surface.

    Mira watched the hour tick buy, as it approached the point of the previous debris field with a mounting anticipation. While she could have taken manual control directly to the spot, the additional hour or so gave her more time to plan her actions after potentially locating her parent¡¯s ship. Having seen the debris path, she quickly prepped an emergency bag, using most of the contents from the one she''d previously prepared for general use on the ship under the recommendation of Queen and Kin, but this time stocked with more food supplies as the moon¡¯s surface was fairly barren, as well as anti-radiation tablets in case they had been exposed to the radiation leakage.

    She supposed the pills and food might be too little, too late, as it had been an entire decade since they likely went down, but it still helped her feel slightly better as she prepared. Then she was racing back to the bridge, just in time to see the first star-like sparkles of radiation notes showing up on the scan.

    They grew in intensity and narrowed in spread, until suddenly the topographic readout displayed a significant deviation: some sort of squared-off shape that resulted in the scanning application succinctly stating ¡±[Possible match found. High deviation of source shape and presumed material. Would you like to set a navigation marker?]¡±

    Mira had to stop herself from shouting as she said ¡°Yes!¡± and gave the command for the ship to begin its descent. She raced off the bridge, and was just striding across the mess hall when another cluster of bees from Queen and Kin landed down her shoulder. This time she could see the queen herself was among them, and their tone was cautious.

    ¡°Caretaker, we understand the promise this may bring of hope, or at the very least closure, but do be aware that falsified wrecks have also been known to be used by pirates and others with ill intent, to snare unwary travelers. Given your run-ins with such ruffians both when our swarm first met you, as well as before we departed our last port of call, we would strongly request we send an escort with you.¡±

    Mira frowned, glancing towards the pile of enormous and unwieldy spacesuit at the entrance to the airlock she was now standing in front of. ¡°I''m not sure how useful that would be,¡± she said, and pulled up the high collar and affixed the glass bubble helmet onto her current space suit, an integration neatly woven with minimal profile into the gold and white outfit she had purchased earlier.

    She could feel a puff of air as it pressurized, using the atmosphere tank she looped onto her back. It was heavy, but not unbearably so. While technically she could have just worn a ventilator like she had for Rose''s burial, the ventilator cartridges were only good for an hour or so at most, and she wasn''t sure how long she would be away so she wanted to make sure she had as much time to investigate as possible without being cut short by having to return for more air to breathe.

    ¡°You would have to be in the suit the entire time,¡± she said to the swarm, ¡°And it''s not exactly rated to defend itself or me should someone pick a fight. Last time you were on the waystation, so that tear he caused didn''t spell disaster, but if you so much as gouge one of those lumbering limbs on a sharp bit of metal, it could mean death for every bee in the suit, and I don''t want or need you to risk that right now.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    She could tell the swarm wanted to come with, but she was both being as truthful as she could with her assessment of the risks, as well as trying to set as much of a boundary as she could. She was still frustrated at the new queen for the threats and near violence with her sister Hybris, and Mira knew that she would be distracted herself with the swarm nearby, wondering if they were going to be judgmental or supportive in a given moment when she really needed to be able to focus at the on the search.

    There was a thump that nearly jostled Mira off of her feet as they landed, and the bees flew back from the airlock.

    ¡°We shall await your return, caretaker. Our swarm is standing by the comms on the bridge, so please hail us if you need any assistance or emergency pickup.¡±

    Mira nodded, but she did not reach to engage her built-in transmitter yet, instead hearing the sound of her own breathing hissing gently, and feeling her footsteps crunch against the broken rock underfoot as she stepped out of the airlock.

    The land here was coarser than where they had buried Rose, the rocks larger and less broken up. Picking her way around them, she listened to the tick of the radiation sensor on her suit, careful to follow it towards the source without getting too close to any particular piece. Several times she took an errant step too close to what she thought was just a piece of rock, not realizing it was ship debris until the sensors squawked an angry warning as the radiation temporarily dipped from the higher than background level, to the range of being dangerous to be exposed to for several out days or even hours.

    A few more minutes of climbing and hiking across the rocky landscape, and Mira crested a hill and could see it: The Glyph of Korindax had clearly crashed, no gentle descent but rather a fiery plummet judging from the scoring and burns along the exterior plating of the ship. It had impacted at a shallow angle, grinding along the ground until it hit a small rocky mound perhaps a hundred feet across. The mound had won the contest of inertia, a wide crack running all the way across it but no other no signs of movement, whilst the Glyph of Korindax was partially wrapped around the impact site.

    Picking past the more jagged pieces of metal that had broken off on impact, Mira could see a thin coating of dust and grime across most of the surfaces, deposited by the matter thrown off from micrometeoroid impacts in the years since as both moons were littered with pock marks from such showers.

    She finally reached one of the airlock doors on the side of the craft, bent from the crash but luckily unpowered, and she was able to move it with some effort, sliding the door out of the way to reveal a hallway littered with bits of debris. This time the litter and refuse was not wrecked scraps of metal or stony rocks, but instead books, tools, supplies, and other items. Covering some hallways were occasional spills of cleaning reagents and acids used for sample preparation, and several of the doorways were partially or fully blocked by fallen storage crates, such massive objects that Mira could barely budge them with all her might.

    But curiously, the one thing Mira kept looking for kept not being found: The Glyph of Korindax was in ruins, of course, but also held no bodies, no signs of any dead upon impact.

    Reaching the primary hallway, Mira glanced up at the broken window overhead, one that must have once formed a sort of skylight for viewing the stars as the ship passed them by. Now it was splintered and cracked, but Mira tore her gaze away from the filigree work overhead as she imagined what it must have looked like in its prime, instead focusing on what she had suspected might be here in the hallway, or rather not here.

    Off of the main hallway were the bulkhead doors to the escape pods, which operated as little more than dumb missiles that auto detected the nearest habitable world and rocketed the inhabitants that direction at maximum speed before burning out their motors. In the event that a planet was found, massive parachutes and retro-boosters would deploy, allowing for a technically-survivable reentry, but it wasn''t apparently remotely comfortable according to what her father told her of the one time he''d had to ride in such a pod. Mira realized at the time she''d been more focused on his miraculous landing, rather than the question of why he was on a ship that went down in the first place.

    Pushing those thoughts aside, she reached the end of the hallway and opened the wide double-sliding door onto what had once been the bridge. Most of this had suffered the worst of the impact, crumpled back to the point that she could almost reach and touch the nearest bent parts of the forward view screen while keeping the other hand on the entry doors, but there was one console that appeared somewhat-intact and capable of responding to queries.

    She tried poking it a few times and received no response. Mira was hardly surprised, and had actually brought something for this scenario: reaching into the survival pack, she pulled out a portable power cell, the faint hum audible through her helmet even across the thin air. She popped open the panel on the console, glad that it appeared to be somewhat-similar to the ones on board The Apiary, fiddling around till she found the cables she was looking for. She pulled out a knife from the survival bag, quickly cutting off the protective coating on the wires to clamp the power cell leads onto the bare wire.

    Almost immediately, the console lit up with a beep of recognition, and elsewhere on the bridge several consoles began sparking and sputtering as they too tried to draw power and come online. Mira could see the power indicator on the cell was already starting to tick down thanks to the entire bridge trying to draw power, and she knew she had to act swiftly. Pulling up the default panel readout, she swiped across menus and access settings until she found what she was looking for: The internal security feeds of the ship.

    At the same time she also pulled up a second readout, doing a diagnostic on the escape pod jettisons to see what the destination was that would have been selected. She had her suspicions it would indicate the other moon, but wanted to confirm as she fast-forwarded the video playback. Figures walked and zipped and ran in and out of frame as she sped through, until finally she saw what she was looking for and paused.

    There, suspended in the flickering image, were her mother and father, holding lunch trays and laughing as another researcher next to them was making some sort of gesture to amuse them. She started to reach out, hand passing through the flickering and desaturated image, until a beeping warning from the power cell told her she only had approximately a minute left of reserve before it was drained.

    An acknowledgment from the other window sounded, displaying ¡±[Guepa]¡± and then zooming in to indicate the other moon as being the destination. Frustrated, wished they had started with that moon instead, as this one had been the first for their investigation simply because of it being closer upon their arrival to the system. However, the other was only half a day¡¯s flight away, so they would be able to begin searching there soon.

    Then something caught her eye. There was chaos and confusion, some flashing warning lights all sped up, and Mira could see the dangerously-low blinking power cell level. Not daring to return to a normal speed for fear she might miss whatever was going on, she kept her eyes wide as she drank in as much as she could as the images flashed, the screens full of researchers and scientists and crew racing past into the pods, getting secured, and then launching. Shortly after the last pod launched, she saw something else: A shape of another bulky suited figure, stepping into the main hallway.

    They had a distinctive icon on their shoulder pad, of a planet within a planet, protected by a shield reminiscent of the ancient cultures of Earth from thousands of years ago. The figure started to turn towards the camera, but before she could see who it was, the power cell beeped a long trill of distress and went dead. With it, the sparking stopped across the bridge, and Mira straightened, mind racing to try to figure out what it was that she just saw.

    Whoever it was that had entered aboard the Glyph of Korindax had done so after it had been evacuated; If they were the reason for the crash in the first place, what, or who, had they been looking for?