Path of the Hive Queen

Galatea had been right, Dan reflected. There was a new tension ‘at court’. He hadn’t been here that long, but it was obvious if you knew where to look. He was pretty sure that most of it was due to the news about a new enemy fleet and army, and of further ones being assembled against them, rather than due to the fact that Regina and Janis were, arguably, fighting.

Many people wouldn’t know about this situation, or at least not know the details. Out of concern about creating a panic or feeding the fear people might feel, military news weren’t necessarily public. Many notables here in the capital were probably aware that there was a new enemy army to face, but not much more than that. Detailed plans were pretty much restricted to Regina and those in her confidence, as well as Ben’s top, handpicked staff. Still, Dan suspected it had been enough to create some unease in the palace.

Not that he was even sure why he was here. After he was wounded in the attempted decapitation strike against their army, he hadn’t seen much combat. He would have suspected his mother wanted to coddle him, if he hadn’t traced the orders through the psychic link. He’d rotated through several positions, and now he was here, temporarily attached to the Star Guard.

Maybe they were planning to give him a command in the elite force? He would’ve sworn he was being promoted on the path to generalship … but maybe they’d noticed he would be less suited for that, and instead, they were now planning to make him an officer in the Star Guard? It would be a prestigious and arguably important post, but with less people under his direct command. Dan would serve the Hive in whatever way he was given, of course, but he honestly wasn’t sure what to think of that possibility.

At least this was an opportunity to see Max and some of his other siblings again, and Regina seemed to like having him around. He felt her presence keenly, her mind slightly curled against his with the mental connection over the psychic link — like absentmindedly touching someone’s elbow while you were speaking to other people — as he stood behind her. Ostensibly guarding her and the door while she was speaking to ministers and department heads.

“I will not be Conjuring more gold for our coffers,” she was saying. “Inflation is already too high, and devaluation of our currency is too much of a risk. While I understand your concerns, we will simply have to adjust our budgets.”

“Does that mean the welfare budget will be cut, my Empress?” Minister Desold asked.

“No, or not more than slightly,” Regina answered. “Trying to save money here would be fatal in the long term, I believe. We need to guarantee our citizens’ health, education and prospects; that means ensuring our hospitals, orphanages and other such institutions have enough funding. We would only lose more money in the future if they don’t, anyway.”

“Then perhaps raising taxes?” someone from the Treasury department suggested.

“Yes, perhaps. Prepare plans and projections of the economic impact. In particular, get me some estimations for an increase regarding a graded tax based on income or wealth. But with recent events, taxing the nobility seems like a … relevant prospect.”

“There is also the conspirators’ assets to consider,” Daine spoke up.

“Indeed,” Regina agreed. “Once they are sentenced, their wealth may be confiscated for the Empire. You should consider this as well. Prepare some projections — Lord Daine, I presume you have detailed accountings of these persons and what they own?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Make those available, then. Keep in mind not everyone implicated may be found guilty, however. And the courts may choose to assign fines to people convicted of lesser crimes than high treason, or they may not. Let’s not be overly optimistic in budget planning.”

“Of course, my Empress,” the treasurer murmured.

Dan hid a grin as he listened. He wondered what those conspirators would think if they knew that their actions would help the Empire fill a hole in its budget. They tended to be high noblemen, with considerable wealth. He wasn’t sure how much that would really count for in the end, but it definitely couldn’t hurt, right?

There were a few more questions and some details were clarified, but the main part of the meeting seemed to be over. Dan still kept a close eye on them as the assembled men and women stood and slowly shuffled off, starting to speak to each other in low voices.

Then his focus was diverted by Regina, who suddenly turned her attention elsewhere, dragging his own along. There was a message in the psychic link, he realized. It felt urgent?

Regina engaged with it more deeply, but it took until she deliberately included him that Dan also learned what was going on. Max, Janis and a few others were also invited to an impromptu mental conference.

It was a surprise attack and we only barely held them off, my Queen, the other drone who carried the message said — Thorn, a younger drone he didn’t recognize.

He was currently standing just outside the temple in Nerlia, having just been translocated there with the help of the teleportation plates.

Could you identify them? Regina asked.

Fighters from the southern city-states, but I’m not really confident of anything beyond that, Thorn said apologetically.

That’s fine. Their numbers and levels? Max cut in.

At least a hundred, but our lookouts just said they saw reinforcements coming, Thorn replied. They were pretty high-level overall, probably more so than us. I’d estimate above level thirty-five on average.

That didn’t sound like that much, but considering that average levels for soldiers were still not that high — especially in the south, which wasn’t seeing constant wars right now — it was probably some kind of elite force.

We need to send reinforcements to the base right away, there’s no time to waste, Regina commanded.

I’m putting together a team right now, gathering at the central inner doors, Max responded.

Good. Dan, you’ll lead them. I’ve already called Iseis to transport you. And we’re calling forces in the area to the temple.

Yes, my Queen, Dan responded. Without wasting more time, he turned and started jogging through the corridors to get to his destination.

Thorn, stay for now, Regina continued already. We’ll send you back after them, once I’ve taken a deeper look into your memories.

As he ran, Dan quickly checked his weapons and equipment, glad that he’d been outfitted properly as part of guard duty and was prepared for a fight. Then he reached the strike team Max had pulled together, quickly checking that they were all ready as well.

Daniel will be joining you at the temple, Regina told him. Iseis is almost there, just wait a moment — there, now. Go quickly.

Iseis was in just as much of a hurry as everyone else, barely pausing to greet them before she ripped open a temporary portal and shoved him through. Dan stepped out quickly to let the others pass and took a guard position. Quickly, everyone else passed through.

“Where’s our reinforcements?” Iseis asked, glancing around. They were standing just outside the temple itself on the small island, which was getting a bit crowded, only a few meters from the teleportation platform.

“They’re on their way around the lake, will be here in half a minute,” Dan answered. It would be the first wave of reinforcements; others were being assembled, but it would take some time for them to be available. He was already checking the psychic link for everyone and trying to get better report on what awaited them on the other side.

“Our? You’re coming with, Lady Iseis?” Captain Ferden asked. He seemed to be the highest-ranking Star Guard in this hastily assembled force; a level 58 Stormcaller and reportedly a good mage overall, though Dan didn’t know him well personally.

“Of course I am,” Iseis responded. She was already turning and probably preparing to open the portal.

“Be careful,” Dan warned her, anyway. “We could do this without your help, too.”

She scoffed slightly, looking at him. “Dan, my lady will kill me if an enemy gets their hands on that place when I could have prevented it.”

Dan nodded. That was obviously hyperbole, but her words and the psychic link did remind him that his Queen had an understanding with Leian about protecting the material of the hidden room in the old base.

Their reinforcements finally flew in, interrupting their conversation. Max had decided to send a relatively small but elite team ahead, so they all dismounted from Winged Drone Mounts or, in a few cases, just touched down themselves. They quickly lined up alongside the Star Guard forces Dan had brought. Two men stepped up to him — Daniel Rhitsen, one of his mother’s students, and a gnome who saluted briskly; the psychic link and the System identified him as Captain Desikel.

“Reporting and ready to move out, Sir.”

“Good. We’ll link up with our remaining forces defending the base first. Keep your mages and scouts looking for enemies and ambushes. Daniel, you too. We and the Star Guard will cross first. Lady Iseis, if you would?”

Iseis wasted no time. In just a few seconds, he and the vanguard of their strike force were translocated to the southern base. It was a disorienting experience. More disorienting was losing the connection to the psychic link.

It had been a while since Dan had felt alone in his mind; he didn’t like it. But that was immaterial now since he had a job to do.

They emerged into the underground base in the center. Another, single, drone was waiting beside the array and snapped to attention as they appeared.

“What’s the situation?” Dan asked as they stepped off the platform.

“We’ve been pushed back from the entrance and they’ve infiltrated the first level,” they reported quickly. “There’s also enemies in the tunnels, but we’ve managed to hold them off so far. The Captain is in the tunnel leading up from the entrance with most of the company.”

Behind them, more of their soldiers appeared and stepped out of the teleportation array. Iseis would come last, since she’operated it. All later reinforcements would have to bring a strong mage of their own, and probably leave them behind.

“Alright,” Dan said, quickly organizing what they had. “We’ll split into two. Ferden, take two squads and reinforce the other entrance toward the tunnels. Send a message if you’re in danger of being overrun. Actually, send one anyway and report their numbers. The rest of you are with me. Keep in mind we have further reinforcements coming. Direct them to secure the area around the teleportation pad first. We’ll go down as soon as possible.”

They quickly acknowledged his orders and started grouping up. Dan set off right away, the majority of the elite forces following him. He knew the garrison for the base hadn’t been weak, though it had been relatively small, mostly to hide their presence. And before he’d been cut off from the psychic link, he’d watched the progress of the other troops being scrambled to be sent here; the first wave should arrive soon, the second one later if it was necessary.

“I can sense our enemies,” Daniel spoke up. “There are a few who’re in the side corridors of the base, separated from the others. Maybe infiltrators?”

“Thanks, let’s go take care of them on the way.”

They spread out a little and Dan sent pairs of soldiers after every intruder that the psychic pointed out, or bigger groups if they weren’t alone. Daniel helped by distracting them with his power, but only from a distance, as he still stuck close to Dan. With the psychic link out of range, he needed to have the advantage of communicating instantly with other parts of their forces and coordinating their actions.

They reached the remains of the original garrison force, or at least most of it, quickly. They were currently engaged in battle with the intruders, slowly retreating down the hallway. The tight spaces worked to their advantage, and it was hard to see the enemy given all the barricades and obstacles in the way, though some of them were holed or half-melted.

“Mages, volley on three, then melee fighters close in,” Dan ordered quietly. “One, two, three!”

He picked out a path, then charged forward, triggering an Ability once he was past the other Imperial troops. The enemy swordsman he targeted barely had the time to turn to face him before Dan’s blade cut into his cheek. He twisted and stepped closer, moving his blade-limb into a gap in the man’s armor even as his sword cut his face. Then he turned and thrust at the next enemy.

The fight was quick and brutal, and its noise hurt his ears. They clashed in a confined space, using magic and Class Skills without much subtlety. Dan moved forward, mindful to keep his flank guarded by his soldiers, mowing down one enemy fighter and then another. His blade-arm ached from a parry he almost botched and he had to wipe a spray of blood out of his face once.

Then they were through, and the last of the enemy fighters fled. He turned and threw a dagger at one of them, watching as another was felled by a Fireball from an Imperial mage.

“I’m glad you’re here, Lord Dan,” an unfamiliar soldier gasped, coming to a stop beside him. “This was only their vanguard.”

Dan looked at him, taking a moment to identify the current garrison commander from the information he had pulled from the psychic link. “How many forces do they have, and how far are they?” he asked.

“About five hundred men in total, we believe. Most of them are still outside the base, Sir, but their forward elements have probably reached the entrance by now. Plus the men in the tunnels on the other side. I’m unsure of their number, but I would estimate around a hundred.”

Dan nodded. “Send scouts after the remains of this vanguard and get a better count. Then move and reinforce the barricades you’ve built here. We’ll also reinforce the entrance bay and use it as our first line of defense.”

He cut off as Daniel approached them and cleared his throat. “Lady Iseis asks you to come and bring soldiers to the lower part of the base. She’s at the stairs leading down right now. I think it wasn’t disturbed, but she said she wants to check.”

Dan nodded, glancing around to check on the positions of his soldiers in the meantime. “Alright, then we’ll go to her,” he said. It was probably a good idea to post extra guards there in case of enemy elites sneaking past to get at it, he mused, as he gave further orders to split their assembled soldiers for different tasks.

They probably weren’t lucky enough that their enemies didn’t know the lower vault existed. He hadn’t taken the time to wonder about it before, but with this many fighters committed to such an assault — they had to be after something.

He was just glad they’d gotten here in time. Leian wasn’t the only one who’d be upset if they’d lost control of this base, or what it hid.