Grandfather Tree
His message, though important, was not needed. Grandfather Tree had touched the heart of every noulicorn that had bowed their horn before it; Whispering its need for able bodies.
Noulicorns came in droves to answer it. Grandfather Tree had guided them all their lives, for generations since the first Noulicorn planted the first tree of Homewood. Many vied for the chance to help. Others remained - there was still work to be done here, and families to raise. Those that answered were heroes - brave to leave the comfort of their world to attend a new one. But a noulicorn needed to heal damage to the natural world, and if Grandfather Tree said there were places beyond Vykeli which required them, they would go.
Grandfather Tree's great white trunk opened to them like a mother's arms and they spilled inside, one by one, until the light was gone and the summoning silenced.
In the Bowels of the Heimdall
"The Scientist is coming to visit." Krum eyed the scorch marks and gouges on the walls of Wraith's abode. "You should see your father for a while."
Wraith slithered out of his nest and stretched, flailing wings and far too many horns. Krum lifted her chin and stared down her nose at him - as much as one can, with a dragon.
:: Will I be bringing him a gift? ::
Krum crooked her fingers and two silver slabs hovered down the steps toward them. They parted around Krum and stopped a few feet in front of Wraith's muzzle.
:: What are these? ::
"A pair of incubators. Warn your father that they're carrying xenomorphs before they hatch."
Wraith clutched the two slabs close to his body and unfurled his wings. He offered Krum the smallest of nods before disappearing into the cool blackness of between.
"Is that one of Gehassigkeit's?"
"Only in the way all Balespawn are affiliated with one another. Krum is excited about his presence here."
"Ha, I bet she is, between him and Shy. What about that old murdon, though? He's already pissed about the whole unicorn-"
"Noulicorn."
"Yeah, whatever. The whole noulicorn thing."
"That's the beauty of it. He's not coming anywhere near the Heimdall while this is going on. He'll be none-the-wiser, at least for a while. And Krum's going to get us some samples off of him anyway - something to help build a weapon. Or a defense system. Something like that."
"I doubt the Refugium will be too happy if we throw a nest of xenomorphs at the Balespawn, though. Nobody likes fighting those things. Do you want to fight those things?"
"Hey, I'm not a soldier, I just make their gear. Besides, I've heard the guy makes amazing drinks - let's go open a tab at the bar."
"Isn't he poisonous or something?"
"That's half the fun!"
Well. She wasn't the sort of person who had bad luck.
"It's Karma," Shy explained, sitting primly in her personal quarters and sipping a cup of tea. "You must be up to no good."
He was the only boon to this entire endeavor. Krum had thoroughly enjoyed her visit to his labs (Death Court and all) and the prospect of hosting Shy personally had been exhilarating. She'd been eager to show him her facilities - most of them, anyway. Even with Wraith gone, the Heimdall had its secrets hidden behind classified doorways.
She enjoyed Shy's input on several of her projects and didn't mind him scandalously flirting with several of the super soldiers while Krum explained their enhancements. They were so mundane compared to Shy's own Projects.
It would be interesting to collaborate properly with him. She was about to suggest as much when a acidic shriek of telepathy shredded her mind.
:: My children are restless :: Vilifyss hissed to Krum. :: You should deal with your orphans quickly if you don't want them traumatized. ::
There it was again. The atrocious luck.
Krum pulled out her data pad to alert the candidates.
The turn out for noulicorns had been larger than Krum expected, with dignitaries from several worlds boarding the Heimdall just for a chance at a little orphan fawn. A small contingency from the Refugium itself had also appeared - mostly murdon with some odds and ends battered in. Likely to keep an eye on things. Bracken's presence on the Heimdall would be reported back to Kutoth quickly after this. Nothing for it. Krum had her reasons in mind and the old director could happily pry them out of her.
The fawns had arrived with names of their own and burgeoning personalities. Some a few weeks (or months) older than the others, but all of them young enough to be altered in accord with Zar's wishes. Like firelizards into old worlders, Krum and her team had made the fawns need to bond. Turned it into an obligation. They'd been placed in cryopods after the change, waiting for the best moment to be bonded off.
Now, the lot of them were carted into the recreation room to face the line of waiting candidates.
Krum hadn't missed the muffled questions about using the rec room, but she wasn't so heartless as to throw the fawns in the hatching bay with Vilifyss and their sedated kin. No need for that.
The pods opened simultaneously while a small legion of biologists hung over them, reading vitals and easing the little fawns to wakefulness. Spindly legs and broad ears peeped over the edge of the pods, then in a spill of knobby knees the fawns wobbled onto the slick floors. They were tiny, most of them the size of small cats. A few bleated in their confusion. At first, they huddled together, nervously twitching ears and tails. Krum picked up the sound of hushed conversation between them - grogginess, uncertainty, questions about the strange itch between their ears.
The need to bond took over and a few of the bravest broke from the group, heading toward candidates.
A pair of shaky black does leaned on one another as they risked the trek across slippery floors. One was a striking black splash, her face as white as bone - and her companion a mottled appaloosa with distinct red points. They broke apart at the line, with the fierce little appaloosa dashing off in a series of bucks and kicks.
"B... Blindisght!" she brayed. "I need to find Blindsight!"
"Here!" A bright red shape burst out of the crowd, not much bigger than an adult noulicorn itself.
The whorling, Krum noted with a curious nod.
Blindsight bounded toward the appaloosa fawn and the pair pranced wide circles around each other with a series of giddy whinnies.
"I'm Qianlima," chirped the fawn. "We're going to be the bestest of friends."
Blindsight gave her a gentle headbutt in reply. They erupted into laughter and took off through the rec room to find something exciting to do. Krum quirked a finger at stationed guards to keep an eye on them. It was a rec room, not a wreck room.
Seeing that bonding wasn't a terrifying ordeal, the black splash raised her head a little higher and approached the candidates with more gusto. Like her sister, she was drawn toward the more equine looking individuals. She hovered over the pair of perfect unicorn creatures (Ancestors, they'd called themselves), before deviating for the older female.
"I'm Lore," she said, stamping a hoof. "And... and I think I'd like to come with you."
The Ancestor smiled gently at her. "I'm Haarilla, and I think that would be very lovely. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
Lore perked at the question and fell in line beside Haarilla.
While the does bonded, one of the little bucks had slunk off from the group on his own. Krum nearly missed his cautious approach to the candidates, he'd been so quiet. He slipped between some taller, humanoid folks and moved like a shadow until he reached the metallic Nihafel, Taenion.
He bumped Taenion's knee and snorted. "This isn't a nice place," he said. "I'm Mykolas and I'd like to leave."
Taenion picked him up, cradling the tiny fawn in his arms. "Where should we go?"
"Anywhere but here. Somewhere green."
Things picked up from there. Most of the remaining fawns broke from their huddle and trotted toward the group, with only a couple stragglers left shivering by their cryopods. It was difficult to follow the chaos, but Krum was nothing if not observant.
A dunalino - soft and blonde with white tobiano winding up her legs - made for Yaalina, perhaps Krum's favorite of the Linyaari visitors.
"I remember seeing some of the labs when I first got here," said the fawn. "Do you think we'd be allowed to look around some more if we asked?"
"That would be fascinating!" Yaalina replied. "First things, though. What's your name, little one?"
"Oh! Oh right! I'm Sunscape and your Yaalina." She stomped her hooves determinedly. "And I'm all ready to get to work!"
All three sultans of Schwung returned to the Heimdall after the pager and mingled together in the center of the crowd. Krum had seen little of them since their initial check-in, and although it would have been nice to strengthen political ties she was grateful they were among the number to use Mwari Station for accommodations. A practical lot. Perhaps she'd see some of them in the hatching caverns as well.
But not all of them.
A pale leopard spotted appaloosa strode with head high toward their trio. He examined each of them closely before fixing his eyes on Fadil.
"I'm Leukippos." The fawn cracked a sly smile and bowed. "I have a lot to learn from you, Fadil, but I think we'll do grand things together."
Fadil adjusted their robes and crouched down to Leukippos' level. "Is that so? Let's get you fed and discuss your ideas."
Leukippos perked, losing some of his formality while his tail swished eagerly at the mention of food.
A sooty dun bounded away from his peers, galloping toward the remaining ancestor as best as he could on the slick floors. He fell in a tumble of limbs right before he reached them and giggled while he peered up at Khonya's face.
"I didn't want anyone else to get you!" he laughed. "I'm Balsam. Do you think noulicorns are related to ancestors?"
Khonya helped nudge the fawn to his feet, chuckling under his breath. "I don't know."
"You have magic too, right? You can help teach me magic? Do you think our magic will be similar?"
"I think it's going to be a lot of fun to find out!"
One of the tiniest fawns in the group was a sooty mushroom tobiano, her soft brown coat dappled with sunrays and cut clean across with bright swathes of white. She hesitated only a moment while her peers bound toward their bonds, then turned on heel and hurried toward one of the largest individuals in the rec room.
Nishi had chosen their wild form for the festivities. Krum had seen a great many oddities, but as a massive white rhino with glowing eyes tromping through the rec room was one of the more interesting cases.
"You're like me!" the fawn bleated.
Nishi lowered their head enough that she could prop her knees against her nose and butt their horns together.
"You're so cool," she continued. "I'm Sahar. I hope I'll be as cool as you one day."
A handful of fawns made toward delegates from the Refugium. Unsurprising and hopefully only bolstering to the Heimdall's relationship with them.
One of the oddest visitors to the rec room was a xenodragon - massive, colored like an acid trip, and shuffling translucent blue wings around her human companion. Krum should have had security remove her from the room, but then again... none of these fawns had actually seen a xenomorph. They had no reason to fear her, even if her presence made the Refugium representative side-eye Krum with distaste. She shrugged it off. She'd explained the xeno's presence to the director himself if he asked.
Of the remaining handful of fawns, a soft gold champagne ducked away from the huddled group, heading cautiously toward the candidates. His ears were perked, expression resolute but open. He wound between legs much taller than he and planted himself firmly in front of Grey David, with a cautious glance at Aciis beside him.
"I'm Namid," he said. "I think you can help this ache I feel in my chest. There's something making me so lonely but I think, with you, I won't be lonely anymore."
"Wait, wait!" a sharp voice cried. A rose bay buck rushed after Namid, a flurry of gangly legs and swishing tail.
"They can't multibond," said Krum with a frown. "We made sure of it."
The bay swerved passed Namid and Grey David, then sprang up and butted Aciis with the nub of his horn.
"You're really strange and cool and a lot of people here don't seem to like your vibe, but that makes me like you even more!" He dropped back to his feet and stomped about. "I'm Hibiscus and I'm coming with you!"
Aciis appeared taken aback at the statement and exchanged a startled glance with Grey David. It was too late to do anything about the situation, though, the bond had already formed between their minds.
Krum would make not to follow that one's development.
Only three fawns remained.
A flashy okapi dun who'd been prancing up and down the line of candidates for some time, indecisive.
And a pair keeping together near the pods - a rose bay shivering with fright and a bold strawberry roan that murmured gentle encouragement to her.
With a more insistent nudge, the roan directed the rose bay toward the audience.
"I'll stay with you until you pick," he whispered.
She nodded, but remained careful and cautious as she approached the group, ducking away from questing hands. She paused in front of Mariilya who seemed equally uncertain about her presence her.
"I'm... I'm Amaranthus," said the doe, quavering. "I think... I think I'd like to go with you, if that's okay?"
"Oh, darling." Mariilya crouched to gather Amaranthus in her arms. "You're perfect."
Duty complete, the strawberry roan turned from the pair and marched directly for the sultans of Schwung.
"I'm sorry I made you wait, Hakim. I needed to help my friend first. I'm Eikthyrnir."
"That was a very good thing for you to do," said Hakim. "It's important to take care of your people."
Eikthyrnir nodded his agreement.
With the last of her peers bonded, the okapi doe sprang into action. She swung around and raced away from the group, heading toward the back of the rec room where it adjoined the cafeteria. Krum cursed and hurried to follow her, motioning for a few of her staff to follow.
The cafeteria was dimly lit with a haze of green flame flickering at the end where Bracken Balechild entertained a group of soldiers, awaiting the call for the hatching bay.
Krum frowned. She did not want one of her soldiers bonding a noulicorn. Perhaps one of the scientists or support staff, but not the <>soldiers. What was a tiny little unicorn going to achieve in battle?
"Stop her," Krum hissed.
Security rushed past. Some of the soldiers at the bar realized there was a commotion and jumped to their feet - parade rest first as they spotted Krum, then a burst of motion as they saw the tiny, striped thing streaking toward them.
This was that Karma again. Getting in the way of Krum's plans.
The fawn was quick. She zigged away from reaching hands, zagged between legs, avoiding everything that approached her.
Krum realized what was happening and stopped.
She didn't want any of the soldiers. She wanted-
"Bracken!" The fawn screeched and leapt for the bar. She was far too small to make the jump, but Bracken reached over and grabbed the scruff of her neck, hauling her up to the counter. Her sides heaved as she tried to catch her breath, but she met Bracken's eyes with a determined gleam.
"My name is Letharia, like the moss. I don't care that you're supposed to be dangerous, we were meant to be."
And dangerous he was. Already, from that simple touch, from the formation of a bond, green licks of balefire crawled along Letharia's spine. She shivered but otherwise remained steadfast and stubborn.
"I think you're right," said Bracken with a grin.
Krum sliced the air with a hand and her soldiers fell back. She strode between them, eyeing Bracken and the doe with curiosity.
"I think we could adjust her resistance to balefire if you think that would be useful. There's nothing to be done about what's already there, but we could slow the process of corruption."
"Could you?" Bracken asked with an arched eyebrow.
Krum smiled, slick. "With the samples you gave us I'm certain we could create a remedy."
No need to mention that such a thing had already been in the works.
:: My children are ready :: Vilifyss screeched into Krum's mind.
Krum cleared her throat. "It will have to wait until the end of the hatchings, though, I'm afraid. The xenomorphs are on their way."
Mentions of body horror, gore, and violence ahead.
The hatching bay had been twisted away from its glorious, gleaming self. The walls were sticky with black resin, devouring all light that tried to pour over the eggs. It stank - humid and putrid with a deeply organic stink that choked the air. Footing was slick, and Krum thrice cursed Karma again as she slipped and slid through the cavern toward the incubators.
Soldiers lined the walls in full armor, weapons at the ready. Vilifyss wouldn't enjoy seeing her offspring murdered after birth, but no xenomorph hatching was without its casualties. And Krum didn't want to ruin any of the relationships she'd formed by killing off delegates when they were meant to bond.
She'd specifically chosen unbonded soldiers to attend the hatching. They were what drew Krum to this endeavor to begin with. The more of her own people that bonded this chestbursters, the better.
There were far fewer outside candidates for this bonding ceremony. None that had impressed a noulicorn were permitted down here, which thinned the group considerably. But Heimdall residents more than made up for their lack of numbers.
Vilifyss slipped from the ceiling of the cavern, spooling onto the floor like an oil slick. She spread her wings and hissed, tail lashing. Candidates squirmed behind Krum but none broke rank and fled. Good. A brave lot.
Teeth bared, Vilifyss turned her back on the group and led them around the winding corridors to the rows upon rows of "incubators." The noulicorns were all sedated, settled in a deep painless, dreamless sleep. They were volunteers insomuch as their "Grandfather Tree" summoned them to sacrifice themselves, but they didn't need any knowledge beyond that. They'd spent the last several weeks in carefully monitored comas. No pain, no fear.
Krum wasn't that cruel.
Already the crack of ribs and wet squelch of blood flooded the cavern.
The hatching began.
All at once the air filled with the shriek of chestbursters. Flashes of bright color slashed the darkness as hatchlings sprang for shadows to hide in. Horns slashed through the chests of their hosts, followed by the perfect domes of heads. Long, insectoid legs wriggled through.
Someone cried out behind Krum. "What's on their feet?"
Krum peered through the darkness and laughed.
"Eponycium," she said. "Soft tissue to cover the hooves." Completely unnecessary for a species that killed its host upon birth, especially when they sported fully formed horns.
About a third of the hatchlings sported bare wing stumps that flapped uselessly as they slithered through shadows. All of them were notably smaller than regular xenomorph bursters, and certainly smaller than xenodragon hatchlings. Disappointing, but not a surprise.
A dozen bursters raced for their mother and crooned at her heels. And the rest... dozens and dozens more... shrieked and clawed their way toward the candidates. The air tasted of bile and fear.
Krum opened her datapad to record.
Farrux
Farrux welcomed the chaos, staring eagerly at the eruption of bursters as they raced across the caverns. This was her calling, nevermind what her father and his stuffy bond felt about xenomorphs.
:: Queen, queen! :: a little voice shrieked toward her.
She spotted the silvery body of a tiny burster thundering across the resin floors, brandishing a bright red horn. It leapt as it neared, wrapping around one of Farrux' massive feet and purring, nuzzling into her like a kitten.
:: Oh, my wonderful queen! :: it crooned. :: I'm your Viburnuss and I'll love you forever. ::
A haughty sniff erupted from somewhere near Farrux' feet. A silver-blue burster slithered into view, uncertain about trying to walk on its two wobbly legs.
:: You're ridiculous :: it snarled at its sibling. It curled in on itself as it regarded Farrux. :: I'm Monardass... if... if you'll have me. It seems much safer here with you. ::
A maggoty green burster, much larger than the other two, wobbled toward Farrux with determination in its sassy grin. It jerked little wing stubs at her then plunked down around her feet, content.
:: Palmatumss :: the green said, cocking its head as if trying to wink (oblivious to its own lack of visible eyes). :: I think we're the start of a proper hive, aren't we? ::
Farrux beamed with glee.
Ishtar
The hatching caverns were hot. Steam rose from the resin in great wafts of stinking air. Many of the soldiers were sweating in the armor, tempted to remove pieces, but well trained enough not to. The exception was the area around Ishtar, where frost hung in the damp air creating clouds of chill. Several bursters raced toward her only to hiss and spit at the temperature drop, gnashing teeth and fleeing.
Ishtar didn't want weak, cowardly bonds.
The first to brave her chill was a large, purple male. It snarled, saliva dripping from its silver teeth to pool and fizzle at the drop in temperature - but it persevered, pushing forward into Ishtar's space.
:: Ilexgalbrass will be a good fighter for you. :: it flexed its tiny wing stubs and shrieked as ferociously as it could manage. The sting of cold couldn't drive it from curling around Ishtar's feet. :: I will drive away inferior siblings. ::
A streak of pink and black veered toward them. Coiled. Leaped. The burster snapped its jaws at Ilexgalbrass, hissing and spitting. :: You don't know who's weak!:: it snarled. :: You're weak! Aliumss is much stronger, Ishtar, you'll see! ::
Ishtar allowed the pair to bite and claw at each other, twisting together in a vicious frenzy of ego. Before blood could be drawn she grabbed the two and wrenched them apart.
"You'll make pathetic minions if you can't cooperate," she said.
The pair murmured sycophantic agreements and settled in her grip.
A last burster, this one half the size of the others, slithered up to Ishtar's feet and coiled cautiously behind her. It was yellow-green pointed with black, and unlike the previous two, lacked wing stubs. Likely a drone.
:: Saxifragaliss is at your service as well, my queen :: the yellow fawned.
Ishtar would make do with it.
Among the candidates were several xenomorphs and their derivatives; shifters (both from the Heimdall and otherwise), xenodragons, and hybrids. The hivemind called strongly across the Nexus. Itsayss felt like an oddity to Krum. Far to kind and cheerful for a proper xenomorph, but as he stood among the hatching bursters he seemed utterly content, despite all the chaos. He'd intervened when a burster got too violent with a nearby human, gentle but firm in keeping people safe.
He was... interesting. And the gamut of temperaments coming out of this clutch would likely serve him well.
Itsayss was in the process of pulling a particularly vivacious burster off an unarmored human when a little tan warrior squirmed up to his side.
:: I can help :: she said with a firm nod. :: I'm Lonicerass and I like what you're doing. ::
:: Don't leave me behind! :: snarked a pale purple female, hurrying after them. :: I'm Coreopsiss and I'm coming with you, too. ::
:: It would be easier to help if people didn't run amuck so much :: squeaked a third voice.
Itsayss glanced about in search of the noise and found a miniscule cloudy blue burster wriggling under his feet. She was barely the length of a human hand, but composed herself with fierce determination.
:: A good hive can work together and come up with a plan, right? :: she asked, craning her neck to see Itsayss' face. :: That's what Phlokss thinks, anyway, and that's me! ::
A hive of his own kind! Itsayss beamed with warmth.
On a mission to expand his Queen's hive, Jyrehiss opened his mind to the myriad of bursters - accepting the shrieking fury of their births and the tumult of violence and hunger as they raced through the resin slick hatching bay. He was careful to step over racing hatchlings as they paid no heed to his presence. Despite the violence shuddering through many of them, fellow xenomorphs - even hybrids - were given ample respect.
A spotted pink burster dove in front of Jyrehiss, flailing hooves and horns in... what was probably meant to be a magnificent display, but as she was barely ankle-height to Jyrehiss it was merely a little endearing.
:: Behold! :: she cried. :: Adoxaceaess is ready to join your Queen! ::
A significantly larger silver-green burstling approached at a more timid pace, grumbling thoughts announcing her presence.
:: That's no way for a drone to act :: she mumbled. She swept her head toward Jyrehiss then grovelled low around his claws. :: Daphnodorass will be better behaved, if... if you think I'm good enough to join you. ::
A wormy pink burster was the last to approach Jyrehiss, sidling up to him with an easy but sedate confidence. :: Loropetalumss would also like to join your hive. :: His twisted mouth split in a toothy grin.
Krum had kept a sharp eye on Kenopsia during her stay aboard the Heimdall. It wasn't only Krum's luck was was being dashed by her presence, but a great deal of her soldiers and scientists as well. The few blooms of unusual success seemed paltry in comparison.
Krum did not care for her - but she understood Shy's fascination with her. Regardless, she'd be happiest when Kenopsia was off her station.
Several burstlings disagreed with Krum's assessment.
Though she stood still and quiet in the chaos, few xenomorphs approached or bothered Kenopsia. They didn't avoid her, it wasn't anything so obvious as that. Kenopsia's path was always clear and no harm had come to her.
Eventually, a little silver burstling slithered toward her, cocking its head as if puzzling a troublesome riddle.
:: Karma :: it hissed, flicking its tail in a lazy, comfortable manner. It bowed. :: I'm your Dipsacaless, for good or ill. ::
A much larger burstling sporting wing stubs and a distinct buckskin coloration approached more directly, with a slow, loping pace.
:: Alyssus :: it greeted. :: At your service, forever and always. ::
:: What a fuss! :: another spat, this one predominantly white with bold spots of blue and black. It snapped at its siblings and wound around Kenopsia's feet. :: I'm Strobuss, and I'm much less boring than those two. ::
Phoenix was an interesting visitor to the Heimdall - a xenoshifter who rarely took her human form. Krum had made quite a few shifters in her time, but none quite so enthusiastic about joy itself. She seemed delighted by the presence of her fellow xenokin, watching bursters and drones with admiration. She'd reached out to pet many a stray hatchling and received a few cautious nips for her efforts.
But they weren't entirely in vain.
:: Phoenix! :: a burstling shrieked with glee, flying across the hatching grounds and launching herself around the shifter. She was fleshy pink with a deep red carapace. :: You're exactly who I wanted, absolutely! I'm Celastruss and my brother is coming... I can't wait to meet the rest of the hive! ::
A little smaller, a little slower, a pink-grey burster wriggled through the resin and deposited himself at Phoenix's feet. Her gave her a short, simple nod and said, :: Aestivaliss, ready for trouble. ::
So many fascinating species hailing from far off worlds. Krum would have liked to collect a blood sample (or a larvae sample) from Nest Keeper before he left. She'd heard reports from soldiers of an infestation starting at the docks and certain rooms in candidate quarters. Hopefully Nest Keeper dropped a few pieces of his swarm from Krum to play with. The soldiers and their flamethrowers could deal with the rest of the problem.
Bloodflies swarmed angrily around a few bursters who approached with aggression, and the burstlings lack of chitin made them vulnerable to stinging bites. But those that came calmly, oozing eagerness, were allowed to approach.
The first to succeed was a grey-brown winged burster who crooned; :: Hive? Sapindaless feels a whole Hive here. A hive for Sapindaless? ::
A grey-green slithered toward Nest Keeper with more confidence, although she was half the size of her brother.
:: Yes :: she snapped. :: A hive for us. For you and Sieversiss. ::
The swarm of bloodflies gathered around them like a fog as the bond between their minds solidified.
With her companions already bonded to noulicorn fawns, Sultan Nuri stood along in the dank hatching cavern, her sword brandished at gnashing, slobbering teeth. The sea of bursters at her feet was difficult to discern but she'd learned enough not to cut them if they came too close to her. Instead, she shoved and butted those that snarled at her until they scampered away for easier prey.
:: You don't need to do that with me :: squeaked a little pink-purple female, approaching slow and cautious from Nuri's front. :: I'm your Asclepiass and I think I can behave... for a little bit, at least. ::
:: You can and you will :: snarled a larger, winged male. Blue-grey and streaked with white paint. It snapped at its sister as it approached but took up guard at Nuri's feet, ready to help fend off attacking siblings. :: I'm Cornaless and I'll knock sense into anyone that tries to harm us. ::
Two queens on the Heimdall could have become a bloody war, but Vilifyss had regarded Rutulus with admiration and curiosity rather than malcontent. The monarch's presence in the hatching bay did nothing to quell the soldier's unease, but for now each queen commanded an opposite section of the bay. Accommodating her in candidate quarters had been impossible, so she'd been given more range on the Heimdall, but not without a plethora of security at her heels.
Krum would not allow a massacre.
Vilifyss let out a low, gurgling noise as the first of her burstlings approached Rutulus. Krum stiffened, ready to give an order to intervene, but-
:: My children will serve you well :: Vilifyss hissed, and her tone was excitement and elation. :: I hope your blood will make them stronger. ::
It might have even been... flirtatious?
Four burstlings found their way under Rutulus' wing, crooning pleasantly in her shadow as the drone Veness attended to them.
The largest was a winged female with soft yellow hide and bright chitin, who lorded over her siblings with gentle snaps and nudges.
:: Lilialess will stay close to you, mother :: the yellow grunted. :: One day I'll be very strong! ::
A little green curled around itself, squeaking at Rutulus' feet. :: I'm Urticass! Urticass! I will be very good, unlike naughty sister! I'll be the best. ::
A teal-black male, so tiny as to be barely the length of a human palm, scoffed as it carefully sidestepped trampling feet. :: Julibriss is honored to serve your hive, though he is sorry sisters want to argue! ::
Lastly, another female, pale green with distinct bright yellow-green chitin, wandered around the outskirts of Rutulus' shadow, quiet but flashing teeth at any other burstlings that approached. She did not introduce herself out loud, merely let a whisper of Salviass drift across the mindstream.
Another fascinating subject; Sasha-Tzee. Human, but not entirely, with a strong enough psychic aura to set off the local murdon. Curious, but elusive and protective of her identity. Krum wanted to dig her claws into the woman. She'd extend a more permanent invitation to Sasha-Tzee before the hatching concluded. Or she'd send Merete to handle it for her - he was far better at public relations, but he was also inconveniently attending a ball (of all things!) and unavailable for all but the most important tasks Krum could assign him.
A shriek of pain drew Krum's attention to the present.
Sasha-Tzee swiftly dispatched a burster that had launched itself at her face. Quick, efficient, and effective. It would be a beauty to see her on the battlefield proper.
The fight ended swiftly as a cautious winged burster approached - head low and teeth hidden.
:: Brunnerass is here to join your hive :: it simpered, cautious. :: I will be a great warrior for you one day soon. ::
She was a striking burster, predominantly white but flecked with green spots in semblance of a leopard appaloosa.
Swift behind her was a small, brown male - sporting white snowflake spots, just the opposite of his sister. He eyed the ground warily and ducked around Sasha-Tzee with carefully timed bursts of speed, avoiding weapon strikes and aggressive siblings with ease.
:: Lamprocapnoss is ready to serve you, too. ::
The last unbonded xenodragon in the bay was an elegant grey-gold warrior, Urechlless, who had also managed to earn queen Vilifyss' favor, by trading her own genetic sample.
Krum had questioned her decision: "Xenomorphs were nigh perfect organisms, why accept outsider blood?" She was happy for the sample regardless, but it was good to understand her ally's motivations.
:: Near perfect :: Vilifyss hissed. :: Same cannot better same. Use this. ::
Fair enough.
The animosity struggling behind Vilifyss' gaze was not directed at Urechlless herself, but rather the queens that ruled her. Drips of fear, of worry, for her own children. And hope that they would prove invaluable to these foreign queens' hive.
Urechlless clung to the walls of the cavern, curled within the pockets of resin where she would have blended perfectly had she not been gold and glowing. Upside down she was low enough for her snout to reach the floor, which a burstling quickly took advantage of.
A winged, eccentrically bright green-pink burster swarmed toward Urechlless head and wrapped itself around her in guileless greeting. She was gentle as a petal, but her mindvoice hissed as deadly as any xenomorph. :: I'm Hortensiss and I'm eager to meet my new queens. ::
A softer green-brown darted toward them in starts and stops, popping upright like a meerkat in search of danger before slithering inches closer.
:: Verticillatass is coming! :: he cried. :: I must be very careful... ::
A deep blue-purple burstling bashed into its brother's side and pushed him forward.
:: Too slow! :: he snapped. :: Syringass wants to be free of this place. There is a new hive to meet and I do not want to wait! ::
Krum concluded her notes and took her leave. Maintenance would clean up anything Vilifyss and her brood didn't eat.
!!! Xenohatching mentions concluded. !!!
The hatching over and newly bonded pairs ready to ship out to their own worlds, Krum finally took a moment to gather her thoughts. Vilifyss would rest, for now, until her own date with Death, so Krum could focus on personal projects.
She had a broody Imperial Court green ready for her maiden flight to deal with, and with lovingly offered gene samples from Bracken, Krum had ideas for her Drache Paragon Project.
Perhaps it would not be so terrible to open the Heimdall to outside candidates for this clutch as well.