Antelligent Design

15. Another Voice From the Dark

As the voices of the new hatchlings ring throughout the room, and I continue to wonder just what it is I’ve done, another voice sounds within my mind.

[Original Species has been detected. New species type has been assigned.]

What the heck are you on about, bushy beard?

Is he saying the new hatchlings are recognised by the System as a different species to mine? I did make a lot of changes…

Does this mean the workers will attack them? That would be terrible!

Before I can process the implications, the voice of the Grey One continues to speak.

[You have been designated as the progenitor of this new species. Do you wish to align your species, and that of your colony, with this new archetype?]

Uhhhhhhh… yes? I suppose?

The instant I assent within my mind, there is an audible rumble around and within me. A lethargic feeling rises up through my limbs and claws toward my mind, dragging me down into the lassitude I recognise as torpor.

[Crinis! Watch me…]

Before I can finish the sentence, my thoughts slow like congealing grease until they move no more. Then…

Ack—I’m up!

[Crinis! Crinis! How long was I out?]

Swaying my eyes across the scene around me, I try to process what’s happened. To all appearances, not much has changed. The hatchlings are still congregating together, shouting and arguing with each other with increasingly loud voices. Something that has changed is the workers. Their movements are slowing, some of them are already still, and I recognise the creeping lethargy of torpor in all of them.

[Master, is everything alright?] Crinis asks, worried.

[Just tell me how long it’s been since I last spoke to you!]

[Only a minute or two. I haven’t even made it up the tunnel to you yet!]

That’s it? What in the name of heck is going on here?

The voice of Gandalf mentioned something about a new species and I agreed to have mine changed. Maybe I should check my status.

And sure enough, my species has changed. No longer [Formica], but [Formica Sapiens]. On top of that, my stomach has become mutable! What the heck? Is that because I chose it as a default option for the new species? That better not have cost me evolutionary energy, dammit. Although, I would have spent it on that anyway… In fact, this is great news, exactly what I need to push toward my next evolution. +20 is still a dream within a dream.

As time passes, workers are crowding into the nest, crawling down the tunnel from below and stuffing themselves into chambers only to immediately grow still.

Wait a second!

Bursting out of the chamber, I rush down the main tunnel, passing Crinis on her way up. I ignore her confused questions and throw myself into the queen’s chamber. Behind me are more workers making their way in from outside, crowding the entrance and crawling over each other to make their way inside the nest.

Inside the queen’s chamber, I find the perpetually shifting guard of workers around her has grown eerily still. The stillness feels so strange in this place of motions and activity in the heart of the colony.

Gently shifting the workers out of the way, I find the queen herself, silent and still.

Oooooh boy. I hope I didn’t make a booboo.

If I’m reading the situation correctly, the moment the new generation was born, the System recognised that a new species had been created, then gave me, the creator of said species, the right to change the entire colony to a new designation?

I wait restlessly for any sign of motion. It only took a minute for my species to change, why is it taking so much longer for them? Is it because I’m already close to what the new generation can evolve into, whereas the others aren’t? What’s going to happen to the workforce? Will they all change into new hatchlings? What exactly is going to happen here!

I’m so confused…

Dangit, the new hatchlings!

I rush back up the tunnel into the chamber, once again passing Crinis who was carefully climbing down, trying not to obstruct any workers entering the nest.

In the egg chamber, the twenty small hatchlings haven’t ceased their shouting match, even as the workers who tended them have grown still. Feeling somewhat anxious about the changing situation, I don’t have that much patience for them right now.

“All of you, shut up!”

Just like that, sweet silence. That was quick.

I didn’t realise I had this much charisma as a leader. I’m impressed with myself!

“We have a slight situation in the nest at the moment, so I need you to keep still for a second so I can sort things out.”

“Okay, senior!” they respond in unison.

[Tiny, I want you to guard the nest from below the queen’s chamber. Crinis, head to the top of the nest, but stay within the anthill, don’t let anything but workers come down, understood?]

[I understand, Master.]

Tiny just grunts.

Alright. They’ll protect the colony for the time being. All I have to do is keep these twenty workers contained and wait for the rest of the colony to wake up. It shouldn’t take too long… right?

When the last of the workers has entered the nest and found a chamber to sleep in, the nest becomes unnaturally still. In every chamber, workers, eggs and larvae become unmoving, completely silent.

It doesn’t take long for the situation to start grating on my nerves. I feel like the sole survivor of some hideous disease, surrounded by the perfectly preserved bodies of their former family members. Wake up, siblings! Wake up, Mother! I can’t take being alone like this…

As I wait, growing increasingly frantic, I speak to the new generation, keeping them settled as we wait for some sort of motion in the colony.

The first one to recover is Vibrant, of course.

“Hey, senior! What’s going on? This is so weird, right? I was hunting down in the Dungeon and bringing up some food when this powerful feeling came over me. I rushed back to the nest, dropping my food on the way—how strange is that, right? Then as soon as I got here, I just took a nap and now I have a different species. Isn’t that strange? And who do we have here? New hatchlings! They’re so small, what’s that all about? Are they sick? Undernourished? I’ve been bringing so much food, it’s impossible they haven’t had enough to eat! Have you been eating? You’re looking stressed. You aren’t hungry, are you?”

“Oh my god! STOP!”

“Okay!”

Sigh.

“Every member of the colony is having their species changed. I don’t know how long they’re going to be out, so try and help me keep watch. Can you do that?”

“Oh, sure. Not a problem!”

“Okay. If you’re doing that, then I might as well get started teaching these new workers. No time like the present, I suppose. Not like I can do anything here to help.”

“Alright, senior. Have fun!” Vibrant cheerfully waves an antenna as I gather up the new hatchlings and take them to the farms.

Nothing is ever simple around here.