Chapter 256: Anticipation
Two weeks passed, and the Swarm’s researchers learned at an astonishing pace. Reggie surmised that while the Swarm appeared to be a biological civilization on the surface, they possessed a surprisingly solid foundation in mechanical theory.
The questions they posed to the Rikens became fewer, and Reggie noticed that the Swarm managed to deduce much of the information and technology he had considered his bargaining chips in a very short time.
Reggie understood that the researchers on the ship were merely the tip of the iceberg; behind them lay an even larger team, likely numbering in the thousands or even tens of thousands.
This was a truly formidable civilization.
He felt foolish for initially dismissing them as primitive beasts. Looking back, his naivety was laughable.
As their bargaining chips dwindled, so did their value. No one would expend resources on maintaining something worthless. Many among the Riken crew realized this, and unease began to spread.
Their fears weren’t unwarranted.
A month later, two Rikens were taken away.
Due to the lack of a central gathering place, convenient communication devices, or AI assistance, it took two days for the others to notice their absence. These two had been members of the guard unit, rarely interacting with the rest, so their disappearance went unnoticed until their captain sought them out.