So it seems I have another chapter already prepared for you. You better enjoy the relatively quick update because past history has shown that it doesn't happen often.
And we get to see a rather different side of Jumba in this update. We've witnessed the "genius" part of his personality quite often. The "evil" part… not as much. But we do know that he created and programmed all those experiments. And he did fight Stitch directly in the first film, holding his own quite effectively for most of that time and destroying the house without any real sign of damage to himself. In my opinion, that makes him potentially pretty scary if you end up on his bad side. Which is something that a certain rodent-like alien is about to discover up close and personal.
Also, due to the fact his species was never identified, I came up with a species name for Hamsterviel. Since the subfamily Gerbillinae includes various species of (surprise!) gerbils, I decided to name the alien species "Gerbillinites." Perhaps not the cleverest name, but it should serve my purposes at least.
After it became clear that none of his past connections were going to help him break out of prison, Hamsterviel started focusing on converting as much technology as possible to escape and mentally vowing revenge against those that turned him down. Except Queen Soltus. He wasn't dumb enough to seek revenge against the Swarm, let alone their leader. But for the rest of them who left him in jail, he would soon escape and make them suffer.
Footsteps interrupted his thoughts about revenge and his subtle attempts to rewire the door control mechanism from the inside. It didn't make sense. Even with the increased rounds by guards after his previous escape, it was too soon for them to be back again. Hamsterviel spared just a moment to wonder about the change before hurrying to make himself appear to be dangling from the ceiling like normal.
"Someone here to see you, Hamsterwheel," announced the guard as he stepped towards the cell.
"Hamsterviel," he yelled. "Why is it so difficult? It isn't like my name is one of those confusing names that cause confusion. It is so simple."
"Regardless, you have a visitor," the guard stated. "The Grand Councilwoman said to leave the two of you alone. It is a little out of the ordinary, but who am I to argue with her?"
"Of course. Who could argue with such a bossy boss-like woman?" muttered the white-furred prisoner. 'Sure, send them in. Maybe I can arrange hors d'oeuvres or something."
Part of him briefly hoped that it would turn out to be an ally who changed their mind and came to break him out after all. But then he caught sight of a very familiar Kweltikwan scowling at him as the guard opened the door panel momentarily to let him in. Hamsterviel couldn't help frowning in confusion at his presence. What was Jumba doing here?
The scientist stood there for a moment, waiting until the only ones who could overhear them would be the deactivated Leroys in the neighboring cells. Hamsterviel tried to glare at his ex-partner, but the effect wasn't exactly perfect due to him dangling upside down from the ceiling.
"What brings you to this particular corner of the galaxy?" asked Hamsterviel dryly. "Feeling guilty about leaving me to rot in this imprisoning prison?"
"Not so imprisoning as you are making it seem, I am thinking," Jumba said tensely, slamming his fist on a particular panel.
Unfortunately, due to his various rewiring and alterations to his cell, that particular panel caused the ceiling restraints to abruptly unlock. And thanks to gravity, Hamsterviel fell with only time for a short shriek before hitting the ground hard.
"Great, now they are going to move me to another cell and I'll have to start over again," he muttered. "Is this any way to treat an old business partner?"
"No. But a traitor? Maybe," said the Kweltikwan.
Scrambling to his feet, Hamsterviel yelled, "Once. I turned you over to the Galactic Federation only once. You can't keep being a complaining complainer about it."
"Who have you been talking to in here?"
"No one," he lied. "I have been tightly locked up tight. You are my first visitor."
The words were barely out of his mouth before a large hand grabbed him, yanked him off the floor, and slammed Hamsterviel against the wall hard enough to knock the breath out of him. He found himself staring up at four glaring eyes. For the first time since Jumba's arrival, he began to worry about the unexpected visit and what it meant.
"Entolyterians came to Earth. They took Little Girl," snarled the larger alien. "No one in Swarm should have known about her. Only a few people in the Federation even know about Little Girl and none of them would be speaking to the Swarm. None of them except maybe you. They are exactly the type of people you would be making shady deals with and sharing secrets. And you keep finding ways to communicate even in prison cells. So I ask again. Who have you been talking to? And what did you tell them?" His furious expression never wavering, Jumba leaned closer and dropped his voice into a venomous hiss. "Be keeping in mind that in order to create experiments, I first learned the biology of many sentient species. That is including Gerbillinites. If you lie or try to hide anything that could help us save Little Girl, you will not have to be worrying about what 626 will do. I promise I will break you out, take you to my lab, and see how far I can twist your biology and DNA before you are destroyed. And it will be taking a long time. Are you to be understanding me, Hamsterviel?"
Between the tight pressure of the Kweltikwan's grip and pure terror, the white-furred alien couldn't immediately squeak out a response. Part of him desperately wished that one of the guards would appear. At least they would only lock him in a different cell, away from his ex-partner.
He knew Jumba was dead serious about his threat. Hamsterviel knew the Kweltikwan fairly well after so many years. He wasn't a cruel or directly violent individual in normal circumstances. He might create deadly and dangerous experiments to unleash upon the unsuspected universe, but Jumba rarely hurt someone. He was smart, relatively strong and tough like other Kweltikwans, but he was not overly aggressive. It took something specific to spark his temper enough to push him into that sort of thing; usually insulting his intelligence to an extreme degree would be the most effective.
And yet Hamsterviel held no doubts that the Kweltikwan would do exactly what he threatened without hesitation. The little Earth Girl compelled loyalty from almost everyone she encountered. The Gerbillinite was very much aware of that fact from his observations regarding the experiments. And it was quite clear that even the formerly evil genius felt protective of her. He was also apparently willing to revisit his past evil title to ensure she was saved.
"Talk. Now," said Jumba, loosening his grip only a fraction to make breathing a little easier.
"I… I tried to call my old contacts," he stammered quickly. "To… to find someone to free me from this confining confinement. The only one to respond was… was Queen Soltus."
The Kweltikwan grimaced, "You contacted the leader of the Swarm? What is it you were thinking?"
"Well, she is the one who was funding the funds to create Experiment 626 and the others," he answered. "Of course, she was upset about not receiving the living weapons she was promised and wasn't very eager to help. I… I tried to explain that their programming was ruined by that no-good, do-gooder little girl and she became very interested. The queen wanted to know how she converts experiments and if others could be taught to do it. Then she hung up on me. That's all I know. Honest."
"Swarm Queen wanted Little Girl because she can turn experiments from bad to good?" muttered Jumba, the fury in his four eyes burning down to a more thoughtful expression. "She would insist on bringing Little Girl to the Swarm home world rather than any of their other conquered planets. And she will be most carefully secured."
The white-furred individual glanced down at Jumba's hand that still held him pinned against the wall. The Kweltikwan seemed to be distracted by his thoughts and was no longer focusing on Hamsterviel. Granted, it was nice that he was no longer glaring at the smaller being. On the other hand, it was getting very uncomfortable being pressed against the wall the longer Jumba held him like that.
"Any chance you could let me down?" Hamsterviel asked. "Now that I have told you everything I know about what happened?"
His expression immediately darkened as Jumba refocused on his ex-partner. Hamsterviel swallowed involuntarily in response to the renewed death glare. When would the guard show back up and drag the evil genius away? Staying alone with Jumba for any length of time was becoming a more and more concerning idea and he was afraid that it could end very badly for the Gerbillinite.
"You had better to be hoping that Little Girl remains unharmed," he stated. "Because if anything should happen to her, I will come back to make you regret ever existing in first place."
Before Hamsterviel could react, Jumba let go and the smaller individual dropped to the floor. Without a single word more, the Kweltikwan stepped out of the cell and the door quietly slid close behind him. Whether or not Hamsterviel wanted to admit it out loud, he felt himself relax a lot the moment there was a thick, sturdy, clear barrier between him and Jumba.
For a few minutes, the small figure remained exactly where he fell. Then he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned back towards the door, half afraid Jumba had returned for some reason. It was only when he spotted the uniform that Hamsterviel realized it was the guard from before. Which likely meant the Kweltikwan remembered to mention the new "modifications" to the cell and that he was now in trouble.
Sighing in resignation, Hamsterviel said, "Fine. Take me to the next prison cell."
There were days that she was thankful that her exoskeleton was just orange enough to qualify her for the role of as a warrior. The chitin might be more of an orange-yellow than she'd prefer, but the caretakers still felt her coloration and larger primary limbs were enough of an indication that she should serve Queen Soltus in combat. Occasionally, in the wrong lighting, someone would mistake her for a Yellow strategist or weapon designer. While they were by no means the lowest group, she was still superior to those who help plan battles. She and her fellow warriors were held in higher esteem than any other member of the Swarm save the Red royals who rule. They were the ones who conquered other worlds so that the Swarm might thrive. They deserved to be respected by those who worked below them, from the intellectual Yellows to the grey-blue laborers who were little better than the captured slaves of other species.
She was noticed and appreciated for her important role, perhaps even more so than some Oranges. She was more than a mere soldier. She was a warrior. She was entrusted in more important missions. Perhaps she would someday even be a guardian, protecting Queen Soltus with her life. The thought made her antenna straighten a little taller. Every Orange dreamed of becoming a guardian and fulfilling the greatest honor they could for the Swarm. But she was satisfied for the moment with her current honor of guarding the specimen brought back for study, the human child who insisted on being called "Lilo" and assigning names to members of the Swarm.
The name Pua already trying to assert itself into her thoughts, she was a little concerned about her current duty. The child asked too many questions that hovered just at the back of her mind, threatening to influence ideas that Pua knew to be true. Her words before about how difficult it would be to maintain enough resources for the Swarm if they depended solely on what was gathered by conquering others and how it might be wiser to assign roles based on abilities rather than appearance kept trying to push their way in to her mind. She couldn't let doubt be sowed. As she escorted Lilo towards a secure cell, Pua tried to think of the child as being like any other captured member of another species.
Whenever a new planet was chosen to serve as the Swarm's next target, samples of the dominant life form were always captured and brought to the home world. Once there, the creatures would be studied for weaknesses and strategies were devised about how to combat them. Yellows would pick apart a wide sample over time, looking for variations and differences so that the plans for conquering the species would be thorough. During that time, the specimens would be under guard by warriors chosen to be both especially loyal and lethal. The fact she was selected to watch the newest creature, albeit one whose presence was meant to serve a slightly different purpose, should have provided a deep feeling of satisfaction rather than confusion and doubt.
She moved down the hall at a brisk, yet controlled pace. Her eyes took in the smooth grey walls and the occasional Blue that was cleaning the floors or carrying away refuse. She knew some species preferred to crowd and decorate chambers with various objects that served no purpose beyond being anesthetically pleasing to the eye and were a waste of time to construct when they could have been training for battle instead. The concern with such things as decorations and art was probably at least part of the reason such beings were conquered so easily by the Swarm. While there might have been a time in the distant past where fringe members of their people might have considered the possibility of such time-and-resource-wasting endeavors, but a past queen must have shown them the error of their ways. Thus, they remained focused on the practical and the hallways remained plain and uniform.
Reaching the archway at the end of the hall, she pressed the panel with one of her secondary limbs and the door slid out of sight. Inside the chamber were rows of cells, each one sealed off with a thick and transparent door. They were perfectly sealed so that the atmosphere of different planets could be replicated if needed to keep a creature alive long enough to be studied. They were empty at the moment, but that would change as specimens from a targeted planet were collected. It would provide an ideal place to keep Lilo until the Yellows chose to run further examinations on her.
Traditionally, each specific specimen would have their own guard assigned to ensure that the captured creature did not escape or killed themselves before studies were concluded. One particular species of reptilian entities the Swarm faced in the past often died in captivity due to a habit of snapping their neck rather than face defeat. The Sershess were difficult to observe and study before true invasion because of that behavior, but their planet's famous glass was taken and incorporated into the present cells and numerous other features before the Swarm used up the already manufactured pieces. So the lack of proper study did not prove to be that great of a loss.
But assigning a guard to observe captives on a one-on-one basis was still a smart decision. There was strength in numbers and multiple specimens attacking a single guard might even overwhelm the greatest warrior. It was also the same reason that only a few creatures were brought back initially until their capabilities were better understood. This was the method that was always used and it always made sense. No one ever questioned it, just like no one ever questioned the idea of gathering all their necessary resources through conquering. Lilo was the first to actually question such things and Pua was attempting not to become the second.
Trying to distract her thoughts away from almost treacherous thoughts, she studied the child as she stepped obediently into her cell. The Swarm had encountered many different species with vastly different appearances. Some were reptilian, with scales that reminded her of smaller pieces of exoskeleton. Others winged beasts with those strange and often colorful coverings called feathers, the likes of which were not found on Entolytera. A few were covered in short fine hairs similar to the ones that help provide a sense of touch through the Swarm's protective exoskeleton, though others tended to have thicker hair and lack a sensible covering of chitin. Very few species, however, would actually have a proper exoskeleton and the correct number of limbs for once. She'd never been able to figure out how any creature could evolve with less than six of them. It didn't seem practical.
Shifting her grip on the weapon held by her primary limbs, she peered into the cell. Lilo wasn't like most of the other alien species she dealt with, especially since she wasn't a full grown member. She seemed to be another squashy species with only an internal skeleton to support it. And while there were hairs on her body, they seemed to be mostly concentrated on the round head. The eyes were small and set in the front of the face, but with a protective layer of the soft covering that would occasionally drop down over the eyes. Skin seemed so fragile and useless.
Lilo was also wrapped in some form of cloth-based covering, a bright red shade and covering far more than any fabric an Entolyterian might use. While wearing some type of armor would make sense for a species missing an exoskeleton, she couldn't see how fabric would be much protection. It didn't seem to be silk and the scent seemed closer to some form of plant-based substance. Perhaps the Swarm would bring back such fabric for their own use if the planet was ever conquered.
In addition, there seemed to be only four limbs on the small human. There were the legs and the upper limbs, arms, that were closer to the Swarm's secondary limbs than the primary ones. The species lacked the stronger, spiked, grasping forelimbs that could crush through exoskeletons and pierce the more vulnerable organs within. Instead, she merely possessed the equivalent of the more versatile and delicate secondary limbs with flexible digits. But while a member of the Swarm would only have three such articulated digits on each of the secondary limb, the specimen possessed five such structures per limb. She decided the additional two digits were a poor attempt to make up for the low number of limbs.
"You know, staring is supposed to be rude," said Lilo abruptly, crossing her arms. "At least, that's what Nani says. Of course, she does tend to stare at David a little when he's not wearing a shirt, so it can't be that rude."
Not really knowing how to respond to that statement, she said, "You will remain in here while the Yellows go over the information they have already gathered. It is impossible to open the cell from the inside, so do not waste time and make the attempt during my absence."
"Why? Where are you going? Are you going to see your friends and family?" she asked.
Pua tilted her head, "That does not apply to the Swarm."
"What do you mean? Don't you have friends or family?"
"Our young are raised together by some of the Browns, separated into their roles in society and trained for their duties. We do not form small family groups beyond selecting an appropriate mate so that we might keep the population of the Swarm high enough to conquer other species."
"So you don't have families?" Lilo asked, a confused and horrified expression spreading across her face. "What about friends? Aren't there people you like to spend time with that are sort of like family?"
"Companionship is a waste of time and energy that could be better used towards the betterment of the Swarm," she said slowly. Her antennas leaned back, "Specific members are equals, superiors, or inferiors. We work alongside equals, obey the orders of superiors, and command or ignore inferiors. Other interactions are unnecessary."
"That's just dumb," said the girl, her hands resting on her hips. "You need to have friends. And you need a family. Everyone deserves an ohana."
The last word was confusing. It was not Standard. It was also not Tantalog, Xerminese, Entolyterish, or any other language that Pua had heard before. And since it did not seem to be a name of an individual, it must have a proper definition.
"What does 'ohana' mean?" she asked.
With a tone that suggested that the human girl had explained this topic numerous times during her lifetime, Lilo said, "Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind." She smiled slightly and added, "Or forgotten. It means that you're a part of something bigger, but you also matter as an individual person."
A curious idea. The idea of 'ohana' seemed to be that both the group as a whole and the single individual were equally important. That you could be remembered and included without denying that the collective mattered greatly. The idea of a balance between the importance of the individual and the group was strange, but not completely unpleasant. Of course, it was still inferior to the Swarm, but still…
"Warrior," a voice said, interrupting her contemplation. "Forgive this inferior one, but the specimen must be fed according to the Yellows."
She turned away from the cell and looked at the timid speaker. It was a Blue, his antennas almost pressed flat as he addressed his superior. She didn't notice or care if it was the same one that was in the halls earlier. It didn't matter. The tray balanced in the light grip of his primary limbs, far smaller and narrower than those of an Orange, was of greater importance than him.
"Studying the limited knowledge about their planet and what information they've already gathered allowed them to determine the nutritional requirements for the species. They tasked this inferior one to bring the newest captive food that will fulfill those needs," he continued, demonstrating that he was particularly talkative for a Blue.
She didn't answer the Blue. It wasn't expected of her. She did, however, reach out with one of her secondary limbs and pressed a green button long enough for the clear wall to raise a short distance off the floor. He slid the tray through the gap and she pressed a different button to lower the barrier back.
"Kekoa? Is that you?" asked Lilo, ignoring the food for a moment to stare. "It is you. Nice to see you again. Did you volunteer to come here or were you just lucky enough to get picked? I hope you'll get to visit some more before I get out of here. I'd like to get to know you better."
The girl gave a small wave, apparently undeterred by the lack of response to her questions. It seemed that every member of the Swarm she encountered would be spoken to at least a little. Pua wondered if all humans were equally curious and inquisitive.
The Blue, his task complete, briefly looked at Pua before dropping his gaze back towards the ground and asked, "Is there anything that you require of this inferior one?"
"There is no task here for a Blue at the moment," she said, turning her attention back towards the trapped human child.
She barely noticed him leaving. He'd already served his purpose, after all. Once a Blue was of no further use, why bother noticing them?
"What is this?" Lilo asked.
"Nourishment."
"I know it's supposed to be food," she said, her eyes rolling in a rather fascinating manner. "The blue guy said so. But what is it, Pua?"
She glanced at the tray, noticing the brown cubes, and said, "The Yellows have devised a substance that should fulfill all of your nutritional needs, should not cause harmful interactions to your biology based on their initial studies so far and the knowledge carefully gathered from the Federation's files, and is easily replicated. It should prevent starvation."
"So it doesn't have a name or anything? And you don't eat it? It's just for humans," she said slowly, taking a small bit of one of the brown cubes. The young human's face then scrunched up and she added, "No wonder no one named this yet. It tastes horrible, Pua. It reminds me of the times that Pleakley tried to cook dog food on the stove. I think they need a new chef."
"Flavor was not taken into account when producing nourishment for your species. How different organisms react to various 'tastes' makes it difficult to predict without further studies what would be considered pleasant."
"Well, I can't eat it if it tastes like dirt."
Contemplating the matter for a moment, she relented, "The Yellows shall be informed that the substance needs to be altered to become more palatable. It would not be wise, after all, for the food to be wasted and for you to starve because you could not eat it properly."
"Aw, you do care," said Lilo before shoving the tray away. Stepping towards the clear door, she continued, "So, you said your leader is the only one who is red, right?"
"The only Red female. We always have a queen while the males can serve as her mates and represent her will on other planets. They have to be careful to only do as she wishes of them, though. Queen Soltus does not take others questioning her wisdom or disobeying her lightly."
"So she's still the boss, but they're like her minions," nodded the girl thoughtfully. "But what happens if there's another girl Red? Does she take over the job or do they rule together or what?"
"If a female Red is born, she is a Princess and destined to rule. She is only raised by the Browns in private until the first time she sheds her exoskeleton. After that, she would live with the queen and would be taught all that she must know to rule the Swarm. Sometimes they are sent to other locations to help the male Reds govern in the queen's name. It is meant to serve as way to gain experience and further knowledge. Once she matures, the old queen would step down to let the new one take a name and rule. From there, the old queen surrenders her name and merely advises the new one when necessary. It is the way it has always been and has served the Swarm well for generations."
"So I guess there aren't a lot of Red bug people born or hatched or whatever. Otherwise you'd be replacing your leader pretty often."
"Princesses rarely make it to full maturity. Quite often during the time they are being raised by the current queen, they are lost to the Swarm," stated Pua. "Disease, accidents, and other factors often claim them. Queen Soltus has been our ruler for one of the longest stretches of time due to the misfortune that befalls the young Reds. It is tragic, but at least we know that those who make it to maturity will be capable and durable enough to rule us well."
"Or at least they're better at escaping assassination attempts," Lilo muttered.
"What did you say?" hissed the Orange.
The girl crossed her arms, "Look, I don't know too much about this Queen Soltus person, but it sounds like she's taking out the competition so she can keep her job. I mean, it isn't like she's throwing them into a volcano, but I know how this works. If none of them grow up, then none of them will become queen and she can keep bossing everyone around."
She needed to stop talking. The human must stop saying such things. Even considering those ideas was dangerous. No one must question Queen Soltus, let alone accuse her of such actions. Purposefully harming future queens was not best for the Swarm and no Entolyterian would do something to weaken the Swarm. Even considering the possibility would ensure that they would be killed, ripped apart and devoured by the queen's guards.
"How many of those Princesses suffered 'mysterious accidents'? And so what if that means there's no one to take over whenever your queen gets old and dies someday? She doesn't care," Lilo continued to rant. "She just wants to be the boss and keep all her power. So what if there's no future for the Swarm? No future leader, no way to sustain your population long-term once you reach the point you can't conquer other planets fast enough, and you end up with a bunch of wimpy warrior or dumb scientists just because you pick out your jobs by appearance. Things are going to fall apart if you guys don't fix it. You can't keep this going forever and she obviously doesn't care."
"Silence," snapped Pua.
Her abrupt interruption and sharp tone was apparently enough to startle the girl into silence. The Orange took no pleasure in the surprised and mildly frightened look on the human's face. She was too busy trying to banish the child's words from her mind. They were treacherous words. They were ideas that could not be allowed to fester and grow. She needed them gone.
The Swarm was strong. The Swarm was unstoppable. The Swarm was perfect.
Queen Soltus was unquestionable. Queen Soltus was wise. Queen Soltus was perfect.
Doubts, concerns, and ideas that went against those unwavering and undeniable truths were not tolerated. It was the way everything was meant to be.
"Do not forget your place, human. You now belong to the Swarm. You are here on to serve our purposes. To serve Queen Soltus' purposes. You shall be studied. Your strengths, weaknesses, and abilities shall be determined. Information shall be obtained, either through questioning, tests by the Yellows, or by displayed behavior. You will provide the knowledge Queen Soltus desires and perhaps, if your world is decided to be useful, answers on how best to conquer your people. When we have decided that you have served that purpose fully and that we can learn no more from you, then you shall be disposed of properly. Your planet will only remain safe until it has been decided that we have enough information for a full-scale invasion. Once that begins, key points will be disabled from orbit via our spacecrafts while the rest of the planet will be overwhelmed by soldiers so that valuable resources can still be salvaged and collected for our use. Any survivors will be enslaved and placed under the control of some of the Browns. There they shall labor for the good of the Swarm and live with the knowledge that they belong at the lowest levels of our people, even below the Blues. So do not mistake anything we might say or do as a sign that you have any right to question Queen Soltus or the Swarm in such a blatant manner."
Her tone was sharp and harsh as her words, but Pua was afraid that she couldn't hide completely the hint of fear and anger at herself in her voice. She couldn't let the child's words affect her. She couldn't let her ideas corrupt her. She couldn't let herself think about what Lilo was saying. She couldn't admit that somewhere, deep down and barely realized until today…
…She'd also wondered why so many Princesses died in Queen Soltus' care.
"Fine," yelled Lilo, crossing her arms and turning her back on the Orange. "Just don't come crying to me when your entire species starts falling apart."
Trying to convince herself that she wasn't fleeing from the trapped child and her words, Pua walked out the way she came in. She needed to get nourishment. That was what she told herself. She was only going to get food. She wasn't running away from the human and her treacherous ideas.
"Hello there," her fellow Orange called as she stepped out of the prison chamber, interrupting her flurry of troubling thoughts. "I am rather surprised to see you were selected for this mission for Queen Soltus. This is quite an honor for you."
"Serving the Swarm in this manner is my duty and I shall fulfill it to the best of my capabilities. Guarding the human with a capability that our queen wishes to use is an important role."
"I meant that you should feel honored to be serving beside me," he corrected. "I have been selected to assist in guarding the human whenever you are called away or must complete other duties. It shall provide you the opportunity to see how well we work together and how I am the ideal mate. I keep explaining how we could produce the best offspring to serve the Swarm together, but you do not seem to believe me. If you were able to see me on a regular basis and could view my various qualities as a mate up close, you will certainly find that you agree with me. After all, the fact that you have not selected a mate and started providing young to increase the Swarm tells me that you will not settle for any mediocre Orange. You wish to have only the best available and I know that would be me."
She tried to keep her antennas from twitching with irritation at his words, but there was just enough truth in them to keep her from being able to ignore them completely. She should have chosen a mate already and begun providing future members to the Swarm. She'd already grown into a full mature adult of her species and there were always losses when invading a world, so it was important for females to start laying eggs as quickly and often as possible. She should have accepted a male by this point. It was her duty as a loyal and productive member of the Swarm. It might be all right for a Blue, a Brown, a Green, or even a Yellow to wait for a mate they might prefer, but Oranges were supposed to set a proper example with their actions because of their higher rank and importance than most members of the Swarm. She should select a strong, capable male as her mate. It was just as much her duty as it was to guard or to battle enemies.
And yet, she couldn't do it. She couldn't convince herself to accept a mate. All the male Oranges she encountered just didn't seem to be what she wanted. Even the knowledge that it was her duty to choose one wasn't enough to motivate her to pick one of them. She told herself that it would be better for the Swarm as a whole if she didn't settle for a mate who wasn't the best. And the one in front of her, while a skilled warrior and strong, was not someone she considered to be the best choice. She told herself it would be better in the long run if she waited, that she only had the interests of the Swarm in mind, but there was still a thread of doubt that she might instead selfishly desire a mate that she liked rather than the one that would be best for the group as a whole.
"You must be hungry by this point," he continued. "If you wish, I could locate us some nourishment and we could both guard the prisoner at the same time. It should not be too difficult to guard while in its cell. And it should not even be too distracting if you choose to discuss our future mating and when to proceed. It supposedly comes from a particularly primitive planet and likely would not understand anyway."
"She does speak Standard quite effectively and is very observant. It would not be wise to grow too distracted while performing our duty of guarding her," Pua corrected, giving her fellow Orange a steady look, "We are here to serve our queen as best as we can. We are intended to guard the human child, not search for our mates. Perhaps when we are no longer serving this role for Queen Soltus, we will determine our ideal mates to provide strong offspring for the Swarm. Until that point, it would be wise to remain focused on our current duty as guards for human child, Lilo, and to serve our queen as she has commanded."
His antennas drew back momentarily before he settled back into a more attentive position, "If that is what you wish, we can delay the topic for a little while. But once this task is complete, it shall need to be dealt with. Producing future warriors for the Swarm is also an important duty, after all. One that is both required of all members so that the Swarm can remain powerful and that can even be satisfying to perform."
He took a step towards her, his antennas flickering in her direction in a way that left no doubt that she held his complete attention and focus. That focus was quickly interrupted when he was abruptly smacked by the cleaning implement of a nearby Blue. The Orange male stumbled back, surprised by what happened, before he noticed what hit him and hissed.
With the speed that only an Entolyterian could manage, he struck. The clumsy Blue was instantly held tightly in his pinchers, yelping in pain as the spines dug into his exoskeleton. Pale green blood oozed slightly from the deeper punctures.
"Please pardon this insignificant one for his foolishness," he whimpered, antennas flattened and eyes dropping respectively to the ground. "No insult was meant. This insignificant one deserves death for the act, but it is solely up to the decision of the Oranges who were disturbed."
It was well within their right to kill the Blue for accidental collision. No one would even question them. But Pua was happy enough about the distraction.
"It would be best to let the Blue go," she said. "Killing him would leave a mess for another to clean and there is no guarantee the next would not repeat the mistake. Let the Blue go and go guard the girl. I will return when I am finished."
The Orange male hesitated for a moment, but he eventually released the cringing Blue from his pinchers. Then without another word, he entered the prison chamber and headed towards Lilo's cell. Pua had no doubts that by the time she returned, the Orange would be named by the human.
Speaking of names, the Blue that was awkwardly climbing off the floor looked vaguely familiar and it took her a moment to realize that it was the same one who brought Lilo food earlier. It was the one she named Kekoa. His continued presence nearby made her wonder briefly if he'd actually been sweeping before he bumped into the Orange male. She'd certainly been less than comfortable with the conversation and the timing that Kekoa had in regards to interrupting it was rather convenient.
Realizing that she was spending far more time thinking about a Blue than she should, Pua turned and headed away from him, Lilo, and the Orange male. For the moment, she wanted nothing to do with any of them.
Of course she'd known that particular Orange male. She'd seen him often enough. They were close to the same age, hatching within days of each other and being raised by the same group of Browns. She could recognize him easily by this point.
She was, however, surprised that he was still trying to gain her as his mate. There were plenty of other female Oranges who would be happy to accept him. He displayed all the obvious signs of a healthy and desirable male. His antennas were long and showed no signs of past breakage. His exoskeleton was smooth, firm, and wasn't damaged anywhere that she could see. In addition, it was a deep and intense shade of orange that left no ambiguity to where in the Swarm he belonged. His primary limbs were a decent size with sharp spines along the inside edge, promising that he was dangerous in close combat. His eyes were a vibrant yellow shade and showed enough focus that there was little chance that his mind was not as sharp as the spines on his primary limbs. Finally, his scent was easy to pick up with her antennas and it declared him to be a mature male in peak condition at the height of mating potential. It was a scent that should pull in any available mature females, but it merely left her annoyed.
He wanted her as a mate, but she knew he required her acceptance. Any male who wished to survive knew that mating with a female must be done carefully. Those that forgot that caution would be killed and eaten by the female, an act from the early days of their species that ensured that female would only lay eggs that belonged to the most powerful mate they could attract and one that still remained. None would question a female who killed and devoured one who pursued her and did not accept her refusal. The Swarm deserved only the best offspring and that meant the mates would have to be the best possible. It was the way everything was meant to be.
Of course, the human girl was making it far more difficult to merely accept the way things had always been was necessarily the way they should be. She kept saying things, pointing out ideas and problems, asking questions, and making a mess of what should be easily understood. Somehow, Lilo was making her wonder about things that she never did before. Pua was raised to accept everything about Queen Soltus and the Swarm without hesitation. She never had doubts before.
And yet she had almost nothing but doubts swirling around her head. There were far too many questions and she couldn't keep them buried and forgotten. It was wrong, but she couldn't stop. She had to do something before it was too late and she began to have truly treacherous thoughts.
Pua quickly turned towards a different hallway than before. She kept having questions and doubts. The only solution she could think of was to find answers. She would locate answers that would destroy the girl's arguments and supposed problems. And once she proved that the Swarm and Queen Soltus were perfect, those questions and doubts would be gone.
So there were a few more named (though not shown) references to other alien species out there in the galaxy. I like the idea of lot of aliens out there, some who aren't part of the Federation and probably have never been anywhere near Earth. It helps make the place feel more populated. Hurray for world-building! Any of these alien names, species, or titles that you like that I come up with, feel free to borrow them. Just give me credit and have fun using them.
I also enjoyed writing a bit from Pua's point of view. It gives us a chance to see how an insectoid species would describe the appearance of a human. Which was kind of fun to try out. And yes, there were some references to cannibalism within the Swarm. It doesn't happen often and is mostly reserved for traitors of the highest caliber or guys who just don't understand the word "no", but they are based off of praying mantises and I decided to throw it in. And since they value the Swarm as a whole over the individual, they don't see it as a big deal.
The next update should have Gantu and Reuben show up, Jumba sharing what he learned from his visit to Hamsterviel, and the start of the rescue plan.
Thanks again for the feedback and I hope that you're enjoying the story. Remember that reviews are always appreciated and welcome.