Enemy A(n)t the Gates - читать бесплатно онлайн полную версию книги автора RinoZ (68. Punching out the Numbers) #68

68. Punching out the Numbers

It is no mystery to the theorists of the Colony why most of the races we encountered were initially hostile. Our kind is dangerous. It’s for precisely this reason that we were able to deal with others as equals, because we were strong, a threat. Mutual destruction isn’t the best stance to begin inter-species diplomacy, but it was all that was afforded us, most of the time.

The existence of other intelligent societies of monsters did help to pave the way for us. After all, the sapients of Pangera had been dealing with their kind for thousands of years. Often an antagonistic relationship, with a laundry list of broken alliances and betrayals, on both sides, but at the very least, there was an established framework they could use to converse with us.

Here it was that the Eldest had the greatest effect. Whilst the attention they gave to foreign policy was sporadic at best—though many would say the intention of the Eldest was to raise the capacity of the Colony to handle its own problems, rather than the failing of a mighty being with a limited attention span, my own thoughts on this topic are detailed to a greater degree in my other writings—the attitude that the Colony adapted in dealings with other races was set by the Eldest very early in our history.

It was a point of view that, whilst never stated explicitly in Council documents, nevertheless governed all interactions between we ants and others. The Colony was, is, and always will be, open, supportive, and willing to work with any who approach us. We have worked immensely hard to bring up those who did not spurn us, raised villages to mighty cities, cities to great nations, nations to mighty empires. Aggression, war, and bad faith were always met with the same, but only until our enemies were able to change their stance. Once an olive branch was extended, the Colony was always willing to accept it.

Naturally, this has caused the Colony to be on the receiving end of its share of betrayals, yet it is the opinion of most scholars within the Colony that this was a necessary cost of pursuing a peaceful agenda. We have always been able to make the argument that we were in the right, that we dealt in good faith. In this way, our reputation spread across the world and did more work in our favour than anything else.

Our name became a byword for fairness, but also for a disproportionate response. Give the Colony a kindness, and they will repay it tenfold, do them a disservice, and they will repay that tenfold.

Too many were unable, or unwilling, to heed this message and receive the Eldest’s kindness. The destruction that followed in those instances is, in this scholar’s opinion, both the Eldest’s greatest failing, and greatest triumph.

Diplomacy and the Colony

A treatise by Historiant

My conversation with Grey and White rolls on for more than an hour. His people, the er, Folk, seem to be an interesting lot. He’s quite cagey about where exactly they live, which is understandable, I suppose. As far as he knows, Coolant and I are the friendly face of what is actually a ravenous horde, intent on sniffing out their cities and consuming their young.

When I tell him about the one city we have actually sort of conquered, he at first expresses some doubt that such a thing actually occurred, but when I continue to affirm the existence of Rylleh, a city under the administration of the colony—to all intents and purposes—he expresses a desire to go and see it for himself.

When I tell him about the existence of a village where the colony and humans coexist, he’s equally interested in taking a peek. Then, it’s my turn to become a little cagey. I’m not wasn’t against him looking at the village, so long as Enid doesn’t mind, but I don’t necessarily want him to know where it is, either. Without a more full and thorough understanding of Portal and Gate Magic, we don’t know that more advanced societies can’t just pop a magic portal into existence anywhere they want.

Grey himself mentioned that sections of the Folk are likely to be openly hostile to us without denying that he himself may feel that way, so it’s not as if he’s necessarily a trusted agent. In the end, we part ways with a generally positive vibe. I’ll leave the particulars of how this interaction is handled from this point onward to the council. I’ve managed to put my point of view across, I think, and I get the sense that Grey is prepared to be upfront with the colony, which is better than anticipated.

White is another story. I get nothing out of her, regardless of what I try. When I direct a question to her directly, she merely turns to Grey, and he answers in her place. When I try to slip a sneaky question to her directly, namely: [Is this ugly guy keeping you against your will?] She stifles a giggle and shakes her head. In the end, White remains a mystery. An apprentice of some kind, but more than that, I have no idea.

Heading out into the tunnel, I rejoin my pets and we make our way back through the tunnels of the nest to our private chamber. Interestingly enough, the colony hasn’t made much of an effort to decorate this space without asking me. This chamber reminds me of the original ant nests, back before I’d made them smarter. Unadorned dirt walls, a nice ovoid sort of shape. It’s cosy. Also, it’s nice not to see my own damn face every time I look at a wall.

[Alright, gang. Get your Biomass and Skills in order. We need to crunch the numbers before we head out and do some power Levelling. Make sure you’re in tip-top shape!]

Each of my pets, my closest allies, react in their own way. Tiny smacks himself on the chest with both fists, excited for the battle to come. Crinis tightens her grip on my carapace at the mention of danger, no doubt considering all that she’ll need to protect me from, and probably worrying about a few far-fetched scenarios. Invidia’s eye just gleams as he thinks about the Biomass and experience his victims possess, resources that he now yearns to seize.

I just shake my head and crack open my menu, ready to poke about and check on my progress.

Name: Anthony

Level: 53 (Rare) (V)

Might: 91

Toughness: 79

Cunning: 64

Will: 55

HP: 158/158

MP: 330/330

Skills:

General:

Expert Excavation Level 20 (III); Expert Grip Level 7 (III); Expert Stealth Level 6 (III); Tunnel Guide Level 9 (III); Iron Mind Level 21 (IV); Expert Stamina Level 19 (III); Still Meditation Level 4 (IV); Snap Dash Level 5 (IV)

Mana:

Mana Craft Level 15 (V); Master Condensed Mana Level 7 (IV); Master External Mana Manipulation Level 13 (IV); Mana Hoarder Level 15 (IV); Master Mind Magic Affinity Level 17 (IV); Expert Mana Sensing Level 20 (III); Empowered Healing Magic Affinity Level 11 (III); Advanced Blue Fire Magic Affinity Level 2 (V); Stone Magic Affinity Level 18 (IV); Gas Magic Affinity Level 26 (IV); Ice Magic Affinity Level 31 (IV)

Pet:

Further Pet Communication Level 4 (III); Core Crafting Level 13 (IV); Pet Growth Speed Level 5 (I)

Defensive:

Master Exo-Skeleton Defence Level 26 (IV); Expert Dodge Level 19 (III); Expert Endure Level 10 (III); Expert Grace Level 5 (III)

Offensive:

Deadly Acid Shot Level 19 (III); Master Precise Shooting Level 11 (IV); Omen Chomp Level 35 (IV)

Mutations:

Senses:

Heightened Perimeter Eyes +20; Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25

Defence:

Complete Diamond Carapace +25; Braced Healing Inner Carapace Plating +25

Physical:

Tough Rapid Osmotic Legs +20; Mana Flooded Mandibles +25; Frequent Potent Regeneration Gland +25; Convincing Pheromone Gland +20; Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Hyper Twitch Musculature +20; Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20

Acid:

Mana Feasting Bind Acid +20; Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10; Thickened Potent Acid Concentration Gland +10; Rapid Fatiguing Acid Stimulation Gland +10

Mental:

Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25

Mana:

Unending Gravity Magic Gland +20; Endless Collective Will Vestibule +25

Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

Skill Points: 12

Biomass: 434

Quite a few Skills have ranked up recently, and I have a ton of Biomass to spend. I really want to check and see if anything new has been unlocked recently, but I need to be careful. I’ve only got twelve points in the tank. Aiming for a rank five fusion means I’ll need to hold a good number of points in reserve.