CHAPTER XVII: THE ONLY OPTION

Peeking through a bush, I saw that, to my immense relief, there were only four hornets in the main colony clearing. The other circus bugs and I were trying to get inside the rock-trap. I had briefly explained it to them, saying it would be difficult to control, but then didn't shirk the challenge, even Heimlich, who was having trouble not shaking from the tension – and we hadn't even got inside the rock-trap yet!

We were all here, except for Cora, who had refused to come with us, even when I had reminded her about the danger about the hornets and everything. I figured she was still holding that grudge against me. However, the circus bugs and I would have more luck getting inside this time; not only were there far fewer hornets nearby, but there were more of us, and I was the only beetle (the others being smaller species' than myself and therefore easier for them to hide).

Rosie, Manny, Heimlich and I were waiting for Francis and Slim to give us the signal. Any second now...

Rosie and myself just peeked our heads over the bush, we could see two of the hornets (who looked male, the first male drones I'd seen yet. I'm thinking hornets tended to be sexist – towards their males) talking to each other. The other two hornets were lounging around just by the tunnel entrance, sitting on the ground that sloped up to the entrance, rather like an anthill. They appeared to be discussing stuff. It just dawned on me that maybe – just maybe – male hornets were more laid-back, and slightly less vicious then female ones. It was just a hunch, but...

I was brought out of my thoughts my Francis and Slim giving the signal from a bush near the hornets. Rosie and I ducked down again, and, along with Manny and Heimlich, we readied ourselves.

A soft-thump from roughly around where the two hornets were told us that Francis and Slim had distracted their attention by hitting one of them with a rock when they weren't looking. As quick as we could, and praying they wouldn't look, we snuck our way the short distance between the bush and the barley-visible flap that concealed the entrance to the rock-trap.

Manny got in first. Heimlich stuck fast at the flap roughly around his abdomen. Rosie and I pushed hard on him and he flapped under. I quickly ran under, Rosie right behind me. We had gotten in successfully.

Manny and Heimlich climbed their way over to the prop sticks, behind which was the "bank" which still contained the 200 or so rocks. We had decided that those two would control the prop sticks, while Francis and Slim would lure the hornets (a few at a time) and Rosie, with myself, would get the hornets, once they were inside the rock-trap, into the path that the rocks rolled down when released.

While we were waiting, the other three looked around curiously, awed by the way my colony had constructed this. Heimlich was looking longingly at the cover, which covered us from all angles. I knew why: he hadn't eaten in a while, and the cover was made of leafs that would satisfy his hunger cravings. Manny was impressed by the shape of the tracks. I could tell he was fully aware that the rocks would roll down them perfectly (of course, we had found thousands of rocks, but only a select portion of the rocks were spherical enough to do the trick). I chuckled briefly at his obvious awe at the rock trap. Francis and Slim would be ready any moment...

The two male hornets were getting bored just waiting around. Nothing had happened for their shift, but it would be over shortly.

'Why we need to be on duty...' one of them moaned.

His companion slapped him on his stinger, as it wouldn't hurt him much there, but it would catch his attention at least.

'For the Queen,' his companion said to him shortly, 'for our clan. But mostly to earn ourselves names.'

This made him stop short and re-assume his posture of duty. He'd give anything for a name... very few hornets even got names, and hardly any males did.

Looking around, he didn't see anything that looked even remotely like a threat. All he saw was the ground, the swamp, a ladybug hovering in the air holding a stick insect, the other hornet guards and a –

He did a double take, looking around to face the ladybug and the stick insect, who were hovering there in the air, without a care at all. The pair of them suddenly realized that they were being watched, and smiled at him and his watch-duty companion, as though they were entertainers. As if on cue, the stick insect suddenly juggled three water droplets, tossed them into the air, by which the ladybug swallowed them as they dropped. They both then adopted a "Ta Da!" pose.

Without pausing for even an instant, he darted at them. Without even needing to look, he knew that his companion was flying right behind him and that the other two hornets had gone to get more reinforcements. The ladybug instantly let out a silent yelp and turned tail, flying away with the stick insect. But they kept going after him, gaining speed at a rate of about a millimetre a second. He was doomed, just like all coleopterans that crossed their path...

Dim, Rosie, Heimlich and Manny were waiting. Any moment now, Francis and Slim would lead a couple of hornets right in to the trap.

They heard Francis give a yelp from outside, and then the buzzing of wings getting louder. Heimlich and Manny tightened their grips on the prop sticks. Dim could taste the tension in the air. Wait for it...

Francis suddenly flew in with Slim. And the hornets would appear any second!

'Now!' said Dim to Manny and Heimlich. Just as he heard the sound of them pulling the prop sticks to the side, the two hornets flew in.

But the rock didn't roll down and push them outside into the swamp.

Looking behind him, Dim saw, with a stab of horror, that the rock had stuck fast halfway down the path. No!

Upon seeing all the circus bugs and Dim, the two hornets turned around to flee. But if they were to flee, Maula would find out about the trap, and everything would be ruined!

Just before they could fly outside, Rosie shot out a strand of spider web, catching them hard by their abdomens. But they were stronger then her...

They buzzed their wings, and due to their super-hymenopteran strength, they were dragging Rosie forward.

'Help me!' gasped Rosie, struggling to keep the hornets on the web-leash – or sorts.

Quickly, Francis and Slim rushed to her side and helped her pull the spider web. Looking to my right, I saw Heimlich and Manny groaning as they tried to dig out the soil on the sides of the stuck rock, but it still wasn't moving.

Wait! I wasn't doing anything! I needed to do something!

Meanwhile, outside in the colony clearing, Maula came outside with a whole squadron of hornets, having being alerted to the ladybug and the stick insect intruders. Her red and black color scheme glared in the moon's glow just as cloud's drifted across the moon, blocking it.

'Well?' she said to the two hornets who had alerted her. 'Where'd they go?'

Dim brushed away soil particles around the rock, while Manny and Heimlich dug at the soil near it.

The rock budged forward a bit! This was it! Dim quickly got behind it and, psyching himself up, he rammed it as hard as he could.

That did it – the rock jerked loose. Manny and Heimlich quickly jumped out of its path just as it rolled its way over the ground where they had been standing only a second beforehand.

Just in time too – the hornets were almost at the entrance, despite Rosie, Slim and Francis tugging on the web rope.

'Let go!' yelled Dim at them. Knowing what he meant, the three of them let go, causing them to fall forwards, as they were now straining against a web rope connected to nothing.

Just as they got up at the ground near the entrance, the rolling rock reached them. Before they could dodge it, the rock was rolling them outside.

As it rolled them towards the swamp, they struggled to shake themselves free, but their exoskeletons felt half-crushed. As they approached the swamp –

SPLASH!

Dim and all the circus bugs heard the noise, meaning it had worked. The plan was underway!

'Yes!' I whopped, running down to the others, raising all three of my left feet. In sequence, Francis, Slim and Rosie slapped a hand each against my left feet. Hearing a cheer behind me, I turned to see Manny and Heimlich giving as small whoop also as they readied themselves by the prop sticks again.

Without waiting for a prompt, Francis flew out with Slim again. Coming out, they found themselves looking at a whole squadron of hornets. In the middle was a hornet who must be the Queen – the crown and the black-and-red color scheme kinda gave it away...

Looking at the two intruders, Maula was baffled. How did they beat two hornets all on their own? And they didn't even look injured at all...

'Get them!' she yelled to her fellow hornets. Without pausing for even an instant, they darted at Francis and Slim.

Giving another fake squeal of terror, Francis and Slim ran for it, with several hornets right behind them. They flew far ahead, and then turned to the right, flying up into the rock-trap entrance. The six hornets came in behind them –

Only for a rolling rock to catch them instantly on their chests and roll them straight outside again, right into the swamp with another splash. As if on cue, Francis flew out again with Slim just a second later.

Inside the rock-trap, Dim laughed. It was all going as planned! A few more minutes of this and enough hornets would be gone to drive off the rest!

Manny and Heimlich pulled out the prop sticks on cue, letting loose three more rocks. They rolled down as tremendous speed, catching off-guard a whopping ten hornets that had just flown in. They were quickly rolled out into a swampy death.

On the outside, Maula was panicking. What was going on? All she saw was the two intruders disappearing around the corner, several hornets following them out of sight, and then the ladybug and stick insect reappearing seconds later, quite unscathed.

'No! We're losing troops! Get more reinforcements!' she yelled at Palpatine, who had just appeared. He turned around and ran back into the tunnels.

Back inside the rock-trap, another group of hornets were caught solid by several rolling rocks and rolled out. But just as Francis and Slim went back outside again, Dim saw one dodging the rock.

'Gaa!' gasped Dim, catching Rosie's attention. Before the lone hornet could do anything, Rosie lassoed him with another web of spider web. He now struggled to fly directly upwards, stretching the rope to breaking point. Dim jumped to Rosie side and held her, keeping her from being pulled.

Suddenly, he changed direction and darted straight at Rosie and Dim. Struck by shock, they darted out of the way, and he accidently rammed straight at the cover.

While he lay dazed near the small hole he'd made in the cover, Rosie quickly yanked the spider web, dragging him into the path of another rolling rock.

Outside, by the tunnel entrance, Palpatine suddenly showed up with extra reinforcements, including Amber. Several hornets had also brought the King and Queen.

Watching the scene, Amber noticed the intruder – it was that ladybug and the stick insect she'd seen at the circus. She hadn't bothered to mention them to Maula, but she remembered them all right!

Looking again, she noticed a small hole in the debris wall just ahead. She saw a flash of the ladybug through the hole before he vanished. Two seconds later, he reappeared outside again. He must be going inside there, she thought.

Without waiting for orders, she ran forward to the debris wall. She rugby-tackled the bush at the corner, revealing the soil mound pinning the wall down. It was all a ruse!

She buzzed above the ground and lashed away the soil with her stinger, and then slashed the rope with her claw. She quickly flew over to the other corner and pushed the bush out of the way, brushed away the soil and ripped the rope. That was it!

She pushed her way under the debris wall – effectively, it was a giant dog flap now – and then flew upwards, coming face-to-face with Dim and Rosie.

They gasped, seeing that she was back. Rosie shot another wad of spider web at Amber, but Amber dodged it. Before anyone could stop her, she punched Manny and Heimlich aside from the prop sticks.

Then, with tremendous strength, she hoisted up one of the rocks. Is spite of themselves, they all watched as she hovered above the rock "bank" and flung the rock straight at the "cover."

The cover started to fall. Before it fell completely, Heimlich, Manny, Rosie and Dim hid in the rock bank.

The cover collapsed on the ground, just as Amber hoisted another rock into the air, flying away from the rock trap. All the hornets that Francis was in the process of luring towards the rock trap changed direction and flew away.

Seeing the rock trap completely, Maula snarled. Who had done this against her?

Facing the huge mound of soil, Amber flung the rock she was straining with straight through it, leaving a circular tunnel through the rock trap.

The soil instantly collapsed, sending the rocks rolling everywhere. All the hornets and beetles took flight to avoid getting squished, even though the majority of them just rolled right into the swamp.

Several rocks rolled straight down, three of the circus bugs among them. Eventually, they piled up at the swamp edge, Rosie, Heimlich and Manny collapsed. The rock trap was completely gone, and not enough hornets had been drowned!

Francis and Slim ran forward to the other three, helping them up from the ground. Manny steadied himself, with Francis and Slim, with some difficulty, pulling up Heimlich.

'Where's Dim?' whispered Slim. Rosie was about to answer, but –

'Ah!' yelled Maula, swiping Francis up from the ground with a yelp from him. In the wake of the surrounding hornets, and the King and Queen, along with several other beetles, Maula seemed to radiate red-hot fury, which even Palpatine could feel. Francis struggled in Maula's grip, but she was about four times taller than she was.

'Which one of you did this?' she yelled, snarling at the circus bugs. Her resemblance to a devil was so similar that her crown even seemed to be Satan's horns.

'Was it you, you araneaen?' she said, advancing on Rosie. The other circus bugs scurried away, as Maula came closer to Rosie. She stood her ground, but she might as well have run – she could barely stand still.

'Well, I-I-I –'

'Get away from her, Maula,' said an all-too familiar male voice. Maula turned around in a snap, still holding the struggling Francis.

Dim jumped out from behind one the rocks, facing Maula, and, for once, he didn't show any fear.

'I did it!' said Dim to Maula.

Maula, glaring at Dim, dropped Francis and, at exactly the same moment, made the scraping noise with her stinger.

Out of nowhere, several hornets, lead by Amber, grabbed Dim from behind. Despite his squirming, they hoisted him towards a lone rock a few inches away.

Maula gave a brief nod, and the hornets smashed Dim's head against the rock repeatedly. He let out natural groans of pain in between.

'This,' said Maula to the circus bugs and the beetles, 'is what happens – to those – who question NATURE!'

Turning back to the hornets and Dim, Maula made the scraping noise again. The hornets let go of Dim, dropping his figure on the ground, and they backed off into the crowd. Amber stayed close though.

'What made you think any idea of yours would work,' spat Maula with defiance, advancing on Dim.

Dim slowly looked up at Maula, his legs barley moving, with a cut leaking blood spreading across his face.

'Because,' said Dim, 'I believe – I believe in something – something better.'

The crowd looked shocked at these words – Rosie, in particular.

Maula rolled her antenna, and took a step closer.

'I hate it when some tries to rebel,' she said, suddenly giving a signal to Amber, who whacked Dim over with her stinger, making him groan.

'You pathetic amoeba,' said Maula, hovering over Dim.

'Wait; I'm wrong. You're worse than an amoeba – you're a coleopteran!'

Dim didn't move. He looked too crushed to even breathe. Maula re-turned her attention back to the beetles and the circus bugs.

'Remember one thing, coleopterans,' said Maula, pacing in front of the crowd, 'questioning nature leads to pain.

'Pain leads to suffering, suffering leads to death,' said Maula, as she passed the King and Queen.

'And you're all inferiors!' snarled Maula, having ended up in front of Rosie again.

There was a brief pause.

'You're lying, Maula,' said a voice. Maula turned around and, for once, she didn't look furious. She looked puzzled.

It was Dim. Despite his legs wobbling, he managed to stand up. In the glow of the swamp, he turned to face Maula. He braced himself.

'We're not inferiors,' he said.

Maula scowled again. Buzzing just above the ground, she slowly approached Dim. Despite the threat of a serious beating, he kept speaking.

'We coleopterans have done great things,' he breathed at Maula.

'And for GENERATIONS, we've managed ourselves AND fended off you,' he said.

The watching crowd was looking surprised, realizing that Dim was right. Several of the hornets also looked slightly shocked, especially Palpatine.

Rosie reached out with a hand into thin air, looking apprehensive.

'So-so who's stronger,' yelled Dim at the approaching Maula, even though she was almost at him.

'We're not the inferiors,' finished Dim, 'because the rulers serve the people!'

Maula was right in front of Dim, but she was distracted by a noise. Looking around, she saw the few beetles that were here uttering murmurs of assent. This was exactly the sort of thing Maula had been trying to avoid: she had to keep fear installed in them.

'If anyone's inferior, it's you,' said Dim, drawing Maula's attention back to him. She blinked, looking somewhat apprehensive.

'And you've known it all along,' questioned Dim, 'haven't you?'

In one move, Maula slapped Dim down with her stinger. Before he could get up, she clubbed him down with the side of it. She then raised it, preparing to sting him, when –

Someone ran in front of Dim, shielding him from Maula. It was Cora.

Maula landed back down on the ground again, letting out a forced chuckle that was obviously a hidden snarl. Maula raised a claw, preparing to strike, and –

'Uh, Maula,' interrupted Amber, pointing a short distance away. 'There's –'

Mauls turned to look at what Amber was pointing at – and she instantly looked shocked.

Approximate Chapter Running Time: 01:12-01:19

The line "the rulers serve the people" is part of a letter that Gandhi sent to the British in 1909, saying that they, rightfully, deserved more freedom.