Chrysalis Chapter 1453: Vented

Solant was deep in reflective ditation when she perceived a ssenger was fast approaching. Not for the first ti, she considered implenting a network of mind-mages for near instantaneous delivery of ssages, but again had to shelve the idea. Even though the Colony could provide the number of mages to create such a network through the fortress, their expertise was far better spent on battlefields, where their spells were capable of inflicting trendous damage from a relatively safe distance.

Being a leader ant mastering the art of the possible.

A good idiom. Solant nodded to herself with satisfaction, resolving to add it to her annals of wisdom. One day, she would be satisfied that the collective words would contain enough knowledge to be of worth to other generals; then and only then was she prepared to share them. For now, they remained a collection of her personal thoughts and idioms.

Drawing her antennae through the elbow joints of her front legs, cleaning them and simultaneously using the action as a ntal trigger to cast away extraneous thoughts, she made herself ready to receive news. When the scout was finally admitted to her chamber, Solant felt as if her mind had been cleansed, all baggage and weight thrown out and leaving behind a placid lake.

"What news do you bring?" she asked the clearly tired ssenger.

"The vents have opened again," the scout reported. "I was told to inform you as soon as possible."

Solant leaned back in her seat, pressing her forelegs to the sides of her head.

Yes, this had always been a possibility, and she had planned accordingly. Was this timing coincidental, or did it signify sothing greater? She pondered on the issue for several minutes before she lowered her legs again.

"Take to Cobalt and Tungstant," she said.

"They… they were the ones who sent for you."

"I know."

Despite this occurrence, Solant was still at peace. Still calm. No ripples marred the surface of her lake. The fifth had proven to be a worthy challenge for her, but so far, everything had been within her expectations. She was confident. She didn't lose.

Cobalt and Tungstant were arguing, not an unusual occurrence lately. It seed that, as the two ants developed their Skills and grew more experienced in design, engineering and construction, differences in opinion cropped up more and more. To Solant, this was a strength, as it provided the chance to test their ideas against another and defend them in rigorous debate, ensuring they were sound. But she sensed the two siblings were less comfortable with these argunts, too used to agreeing with each other to get any benefit from their dialogue.

"Sisters," Solant greeted them as she arrived, nodding respectfully to the scout who had acted as her guide. "I've been told the vents are open again. Why have you sent for ?"

"Because it's an ergency?" Cobalt said, irritated. "There are seventeen vent sites within the fortress, and each of them is spilling extrely concentrated doom at a high rate."

"We have completed our counterasures, have we not?" Solant asked.

"Just because we built systems that haven't ever been tested before, doesn't an we solved the problem!' Cobalt burst out. "Now that they're being used, we have to check every single inch of them to make sure there aren't any leaks or mistakes!"

"Of course," Solant said soothingly. "I would expect nothing less."

She turned to the vent site nearby, which the two sisters had likely been arguing over. The vents were… interesting. The ants had, obviously, investigated them extensively after the first incident. As it turned out, excavating them was possible, but difficult. Each vent was connected to a fleshy tube that ran through the rock and connected to sothing far, far below. If they wanted to, the Colony could have ripped them all out and been done with it, but Solant had other ideas.

So, an ergency plan had to be put in place. Right now, the vent was capped with an elaborate device created by the finest enchanters the Colony had produced. It acted much the way the walls of Zluth's prison did, or indeed the intakes of the platforms, drawing the mana in without letting it co into contact with a surface. Everything the mana of the fifth touched was corrupted, after all, and nothing it ca into contact with could ever contain it.

This cap then fed the energy into a network of pipes that eventually connected to the mana channels that fed the wuffer collectives.

"And what seems to be the issue?" Solant asked. "You were arguing when I arrived. I assu there is a matter that needs to be resolved?"

"What? Oh… no, that's fine."

"Fine, is it?" Tungstant spoke up for the first ti, fixing her sibling with a hard stare. "It didn't seem 'fine' a mont ago."

"We don't need to bother Solant with it," Cobalt insisted. "It's an issue for the two of us to sort out."

"Personally, I don't mind getting another person's opinion. It can give an outside perspective that may prove useful."

"There's no need."

Solant clacked her mandibles softly, drawing their attention back to her.

"I presu this matter has sothing to do with the construction of the caps? Or the distribution of extra wuffers?"

"What? No," Tungstant shook her head. "We've been arguing over the proper ratio of sugar in tea, and what asure we should use for it. Cobalt thinks we should continue to use the human 'spoons' asurent, but I argue we should move to a new tric, since we don't use spoons. What are your thoughts?"

Solant eyed the two of them.

"I am returning to my ditation," she said, then turned and left.