Aboard the battleship Tallest Cyur, Major General Sko stood over a tactical map in the ship's CIC. What made the Tallest Cyur different from others was that their CIC was configured in a way to monitor ground offensives. Major General Sko typically headed the Invader branch for Vaukt, a trusted confidant if there ever was one in High Command for him. Vylat was clearly important enough to merit Vaukt sending him personally to oversee Mirage's operation.

"Mirage, Oversight, you have the green light, cleared to proceed."

"Mirage Actual copies, launching in ten." Amka's voice replied over the radio.

"Best of luck, Actual, Oversight out."

The massive viewports circling the exterior of the bridge gave a panoramic view of Vylat below them. The Armada remained in-system, well beyond the range of any planetary defenses its defenders could muster. Technologically inferior as they may have been, the Empire was in a state of caution recovering from the Vort campaign.

News of Supreme Commander Grimm's recent glassing of Blorch had spread far and wide. Not targets of interest or the occasional city, but the entire planet's surface from pole-to-pole with no signs of life remaining. It was no secret he was livid being relieved of the glory of victory of Vort and felt it necessary to save face. His "enthusiasm", while successful, did not go over well with the Tallest. Whatever strategic value the planet once held was forgone with the genocide of its people and nigh-impenetrable slag of the hardened surface sealing way whatever mineral wealth it could have provided. Complete Imperial victory had come at a cost. One Grimm had no qualms for paying.

Nevertheless, his posting to managing Irken Elite affairs for the Vylat campaign had come full-circle. The horned goats did not best them, these insect freaks would not either. Unfortunately, he lacked the freedom of command he once held. Back to old hat in squabbling with short-sighted fools.

The Supreme Commander, monitoring activity of the CIC as he moved behind a row of consoles with operators at each, made his way down the line before arriving at Major General Sko's side.

"I presume Vaukt's precious pet project has made planetfall?" He queried with masked disdain. His contempt for Sko's superior was far from a secret.

"Mirage is on their way down now." Sko pulled up markers of places that Nossa had pointed out where their HVT could be. "Mirage captures the HVT, we wait a short while, Vylat falls into tumult in a power vacuum, your Elites can stroll in planetside with minimal casualties."

"How long is a "short while", Major General?" Grimm soundly queried. "What little momentum gained from Blorch cannot be squandered here. The Almighty Tallest wanted this precious, little mineral-producing dirtball flying the Imperial banner yesterday."

"Estimates are perhaps upwards of an hour. The bugs apparently have a strong planet wide communication network thanks to our HVT. They'll use that to trigger a total civil war on the planet."

Another high-ranking officer came to Sko's opposite flank, taking in the map before them as the defined markers of Mirage were descending, nearing the planet's surface. Her uniform very similar to that of Grimm and Sko's, the only differences being branch insignia and other cosmetic adornments. The rank of Marshal graced her collar, insignia of the Imperial Troopers.

"Almost sounds too easy," She mused, digesting the data presented before her momentarily. "I do hope our auxiliary plans if this falls through is something more than throwing ourselves at the wall in waves this time."

"There will be no walls left standing once we orbitally bombard it into dust should that be the case." Grimm sneered at his colleague's chiding comment. She reminded him of Zha all too much.

"Yes, bombard the surface of a planet belonging to subterranean-dwelling species is surely to bring them to heel. Right behind drowning water-breathing species in terms of effectiveness." She countersniped verbally. "I would prefer to hear your thoughts first, Sko, before we start bickering. That can come after we've committed troops and are on the ground."

"Surface bombardments by fighters will clear a swarm, but we may need massive amounts of poison gas to pump into the hives. Something heavier than air so it'll sink into every crevice. That's my suggestion as far as a backup goes. We don't want a prolonged fight swarms of bugs that outnumber the Armada in its entirety."

"As eager as Grimm is to send his Elites in, is there any reason we cannot maintain air superiority, draw them out, and take them out en masse?"

"That parlor trick will work exactly once," Grimm dashed. "Disgusting creatures as these may be, they're not entirely stupid. They will learn what is a decoy to deceive them and what happens when they set foot outside of their precious mudholes in the ground."

"The goal is to win this campaign before it is even fought. One of detraction and attrition will exhaust our troops and supplies. Devastis struggled to maintain reinforcements for Vort. It cannot out-produce the numbers projected at their disposal here." The Marshal observed, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "...this Spec Ops team, Mirage, is it? What if they are able to mark these hive locations and we strike at the heart of them?"

Sko pulled up several different makers, other hives. "Invader Nossa estimates these are most of them. She's still working on it for us; capturing our HVT here will give us the remainder of the hive locations."

The Supreme Commander leaned over, hastily tapping a command into the interface to adjust their view.

"Until planetside observation stations can be established, preliminary subterranean surface scans show most of these hives well beyond the depth any of our weapons can penetrate from orbit. Collapse a few tunnels and smaller enclaves, but not the deathblows necessary to give them pause."

"Appears making their homes inhospitable and driving them to the surface may be the only option then. Going underground to them will only funnel our forces into deathtraps." Marshal Yim summarized.

"Deathtraps for your Troopers, maybe." Grimm scoffed.

"...and here we go…" She muttered, rolling her eyes.

"The Elite will storm their dens and drag them into the sunlight to be vaporized in plasmatic fire."

Sko simply played a video recording of a platoon of Elite Shock Troopers being swarmed and torn limb from limb by the lesser species of Vylatians on a holographic projector. "That awaits anyone who wants to try that without some sort of strategy. Especially if you want to go into their hives with anything less than a tactical nuke."

However small the scale of the engagement may have been, the frantic, gruesome chaos made it abundantly clear what would become of unsupported infantry. These creatures were nowhere near the intellect or capability of the Vortians. No cunning. No strategy. Unrestrained, barbaric savagery to rip, claw, tear, and gnash the flesh and bones of those idiodic enough to fight them on open ground.

"A humble suggestion would be to not utilize infantry in the first wave." Yim began. "Initial offensive movements should be conducted by mechanized armor and mechanized walkers with infantry providing support. These…things clearly have a taste for flesh and are carnivorous. They will target the infantry first. Anything with armor and heavier armaments will impede their advance. Assume a defensive posture and steadily maneuver rearward, drawing them out and away from their hive. Stretching them out across the surface provides opportunities for orbital strikes."

"Force them to expend their warriors, but it will still mean lots of bugs descending inwards towards the various Queens." Sko nodded, "I still personally prefer fighters and gunships, but smaller capital ships using their guns from low orbit will still do the job. But…we want to watch their plasma batteries."

"Major General Saro's recommendation on Vort worked extremely well in the Empire's favor. I see nothing but success in doing this here as well. Unlike the Vortians, we are largely unopposed in the air and low-orbit."

Sko pulled up a photo of an extremely large insect. "Tell that to these things that spew plasma out of their c'hurtas that can go into low orbit."

"I said "largely", not "completely". The Armada will have free-range to locate and eliminate any of these. They have to appear on the surface to be capable of sending anything into low-orbit." Yim clarified.

"They do make for a large, visible target." Grimm added in deduction. "Something Admiral Carus will be delighted to eradicate from existence."

"If he doesn't risk ships in the attempt…" Sko thought, trying to look as to how to mitigate the threats. "Ships like this could weather some blasts so long as they don't concentrate fire. But, these are bugs, there's likely a good number of these."

"As previously stated, winning this fight before it begins is the ultimate goal before us." Marshal Yim circled back, stepping away a few short feet to observe the planet through the viewport the fleet currently stood by, waiting. "We hold the technological advantage. They cannot effectively reach us from afar, nor match our vehicles and armaments. Taking to the ground to fight a conventional war against an unconventional enemy will be disastrous and make Vort look like an unpleasant conversation in comparison."

"...much as it pains me to admit, that is the wisest course of action at this point in time." The Supreme Commander sighed haughtily. "The Tallest are adamant about securing Vylat post-haste. The squirming, disgusting filth will procreate faster than we can progress should we commit to attrition. Whenever we strike, it must be decisive."

"Then this entire operation rests on Mirage." Sko looked at the map of their progress. One zone was already marked out as searched, no bugs alerted, so far so good. Last thing they needed was the new team wiped out on their first mission. "We may end up receiving some intelligence in the middle of this from Orenk, potentially. We have records of some of the exiled Vylatians working alongside the Orenkians. High Marshal Zha and the General might uncover something to assist us in our own campaign here."

"All we can do until then is ensure our vessels are in formation, equipment staged, and troops ready to deploy when the time comes." The Imperial Trooper Marshal summarized, looking to her colleagues. "The only other recommendation I can make until we are committed to that capacity is establishing listening outposts planetside to continue gathering data. Small operational garrisons at the largest, unmanned is preferable of course."

"Send some of those probes down. Should have what we need." Sko nodded before getting on the radio. "Mirage Actual, Oversight, do you read?"

"Mirage Actual reads, go ahead." Amka replied in a whisper over the radio.

"Status report."

"Just cleared the second chamber, evidence she was just here recently. Have a read on the HVT, heading after her now."

"Roger that, keep us informed, out." Sko let out a sigh. Things were proceeding well at least.

"At the risk of stating the obvious, Major General, but what is their plan for extraction? I suspect the hive will take immediate notice if something is amiss with their interference." Yim pursued, eavesdropping on the conversation.

"They got a crazy pilot on their roster insane enough to fly in, grab them, and get out of there. Not ideal, but they knew they were getting into this."

"Catastrophic failure or resounding success." Grimm commented with a sneer. "There is no in-between with Spec Ops. We will see what side of the coin it lands on shortly."

"Indeed we will, Supreme Commander." The Marshal placated, not taking the bait for another clash of egos.

"Precisely how we are. If we fail, we fail spectacularly; we absolutely despise mediocrity in all forms." Sko cracked a bit of a joke as he opened a can of soda to take a sip. The comms crackled to life as To's voice, that of a female, came over the channels.

"Wireman secured the communications relay. Standing by for transmission."

"Terror copies." Amka replied, "Maintain radio silence, HVT in sight."

Sko only chuckled at the order. "Guess we'll know if they fail or not soon enough."

"Fire, Terror, flank right, stagger positions."

"Terror, Fire copies. Flanking right."

"Heavy, post up."

"Posting up."

"Det, Charger, Spark, on me."

"Following, Terror."

"Terror, Fire."

"Fire, Terror, go ahead."

"Right flank secure, standing by."

"Prioritize targets and assign. Watch the crossfire at the left flank. Hold fire."

"Fire copies."

Sko smirked, he could see it in his head, the team positioning for a drop on their HVT. Brilliant.

"Heavy, Tank, Hailstorm, Terror, status?"

"Heavy, locked and loaded."

"Tank, HEAT loaded, aimed, and ready."

"Hailstorm, good to go on AT."

"Azure, status on the consort."

"Dead to rights, Terror."

"On my mark…three…two…one…mark."

Several seconds of silence soon followed. Sterile comms, as trained and disciplined. Mirage had big shoes to fill in ASOG-SS's shadow and first impressions meant everything. Laser focus and no mistakes could be permitted. Each moment that passed became painstakingly longer with anticipation. Had they succeeded in getting the jump on the unaware inner sanctum of the hive? Were they overwhelmed and eradicated in short order for their transgressions?

A crackle of hissing static with an awful shriek of background noise angrily buzzing came from the comms station.

"Cease fire! Cease fire! Targets down!"

"Red team, move!"

"Terror, Ghost, you've stirred the nest. They're not happy."

"Ghost, Terror, I'm aware. Proceed to extraction."

"Ghost copies, moving to extraction."

"Everyone, on the HVT, NOW! MOVE!"

"Tank, give me the cables!" Mokan yelled to his team's heavy weapons specialist "You and Azure, watch the door, now!"

"Stop resisting, you dumb bug!" Uat yelled.

"Gat, go get Splice before he gets swarmed!" Some of Purple team's members found themselves deep in the fray as well. More seconds passed. The situation seemed tenser the more time silence carried on.

"Oversight, Mirage Actual, HVT secured, bugs alerted, moving to extraction."

Sko heaved a sigh of relief that one part was done so far. "Copy that, Actual. Wireman, send the transmission."

"Wireman copies, sending the news now."

"Red Team, cover the rear."

"Covering! Hostiles inbound!"

"Weapons free!"

"Terror, Ghost, extraction secured. Be advised, increased seismic activity in the vicinity. Rapid burrowing to our location."

"Ghost, Terror copies. Maintain security. Double-time!"

Each transmission picked up the ambient, screeching, hissing rage of the HVT's subjects and brethren encroaching fast and exchanged weapons fire. The expected eventuality, but a race against the clock with a rapidly-closing window of escape.

"Det, Charger, firewall them! Incendiaries at our six!"

"Incendiary out!"

"Where the Irk is Splice?!"

"Splice, Terror, report." Silence followed. "Sergeant Caz, sound off!"

"Little busy here!"

"Caz, what is it?"

"Royals! Being chased by a dozen royals!"

"Can you make it to secondary exfil?"

"I'll try!"

Sko blinked, "Looks like one of them got separated, at least he's still alive. See if he stays that way."

"Terror, Ghost, we're being walked back. Enemy strength intensifying exponentially."

"Ghost, Terror, you WILL hold that position or we're all DEAD."

"Ghost copies."

"What's the holdup back there?!"

"This thing weighs a ton!"

"She's digging her feet in too!"

"Subdue her! I don't care how!"

The sound of a bug shrieking filled the radio after that order.

"Now quit resisting or I'll shove this prod up your c'hurta and shock you next time!" Phla yelled.

"Spark, Terror, she subdued?"

"Compliant, Terror."

"Double time it, move!"

More chatter over the radio indicating swarms of bugs. Another that To and Caz met at the alternate LZ and were holding despite the numbers. Then, relief to Sko's antenna.

"Actual to Oversight, boarded our shuttle with the HVT at primary extraction. Swinging to secondary to pick up the remaining two team members."

Sko grinned. "Oversight copies,damn fine work, Actual." Sko quickly flipped comm channels, "Invader, any updates on our little escapade?"

A dark, feminine chuckle first filtered through in the transmission. One of bemusement and dripping of scorn. A long exhale and sharp intake of breath followed.

"...the planet trembles with the rage of a billion savages. The Alpha Hive seeks the little green men and their transgressions…and their rivals are already on the march upon smelling blood in the water. This is going to be fun…"

"Always in love with the work. What makes you good at it," Sko replied, "Keep tabs, alert us if anything big happens."

"The Almighty Tallest called upon the best and that call has been answered in kind. My loyalty unwavering in the face of the impossible. Vylat will fall as so many before it have in kind. It is the highest honor to be the catalyst in setting its collapse into motion."

"If only there were more like you, Invader. The universe would belong to the Empire in short-order." Grimm observed, allowing his disdain for Vaukt and Spec Ops as a whole take a backseat for the time being. Loyalty was valued above all else.

"Unfortunately, there is only one of me, Supreme Commander…but one of me is enough to see that plan to fruition."

"So it seems. Vylat will fall much faster than Vort. What's your estimates on a launch time for the Supreme Commander's invasion?" The sooner Sko can get back to Irk and manage affairs from afar, the better as far as he was concerned. He didn't want to spend too much time in the presence of Grimm as much as his superior.

"That is dependent on how quickly these pathetic cretins slaughter one another wholesale. Maybe mere weeks. Maybe months of wanton destruction and bloodshed. Whatever can be done to expedite that is highly encouraged. Their beloved queens are the heart and soul of their hives…tear it out of their still-living bodies and watch them wither and die."

"Confirmed. We'll strategize and see what we can do."

Just then, Vaukt's voice came through, "Sko, Penumbra."

"General?"

"This a private line?"

"You need it to be?"

"Yes."

"Wait one." Sko left the CIC, heading out into a corridor of the ship and into an unoccupied room as he switched to a private comm channel with Vaukt. "Go ahead, General."

"Found a lead for you to pursue. Very interesting information from Clan Korgur here on Orenk."

"What is it?"

"There's a Queen on Vylat who might be more malleable. She may kneel to us. Lend her bugs to your invasion."

"How so?"

"Her hive is full of rejects and exiles. Still fully combat capable, but she is a queen unable to reproduce on her own. Her hive is only surrogates. She also acts quite different from the rest. Trust me, you want this one."

"Where should I send Mirage?"

"I'll send the coordinates your way. Tell the Major to approach this diplomatically and he should do just fine. The Queen in question is one Vi'ka'nizan. She'll be amiable if it's explained to her that if she kneels in the short term, it shall benefit her later in recognition for her…services."

"Understood."

"Good. I need to get back to things here on Orenk. Penumbra out."

Sko then left the room and returned to the CIC. "Mirage Actual, Oversight, I have a new task for Black Team. Diplomatic mission. Minimal risk but you're the best shot locally to do it."

"Sir?"

"Will result in the surrender of a queen and the joining of her nest's forces to the Armada based on intelligence from Orenk. Trust me, we want this."

Some silence followed. "Copy. We'll drop the HVT off and then Black Team will redeploy."

A short summary of the exchange to the remainder of Mirage saw the team redistribute its remaining supplies. Amka and his subordinates found their power cells and other assorted articles of mission-critical gear restored to their initial loadout. Delivery of their "package" to the designated vessel handed off the captured Alpha Queen, allowing her to be the Armada's problem moving forward. Shortly thereafter, Black Team pushed off, bound for the coordinates provided on a rather unorthodox mission.

"This is unorthodox? Just us?" Zop asked, sounding confused. "We practically stripped every bit of ammo off the others. Why just us when we could've restocked and went in full force?"

"This came right from the General himself." Amka answered.

"...So he wouldn't have asked that if he wasn't sure of it."

"Precisely." Amka sighed as he looked over the intel from Orenk. "Whatever this is, I just hope this is accurate."

The shuttle touched down outside a hive. Warrior bugs of the lesser species quick to meet them as well as bipedal ones who held them back. Amka emerged from the back of the shuttle, firing hand in the air to indicate he didn't mean any harm. Hopefully it was enough to stay their hand for a moment.

"I need to see your Queen." He began, "I'm an envoy from a General of the Irken Empire here to seek an audience with her."

Awkwardness ensued between the apex handlers and the lesser beasts all but salivating at the notion of tearing into these transgressors. Thankfully, a repeat of the last attempts at diplomacy would not play out. A pair of royal warriors, one of both varieties, soon emerged from the hive, addressing his peers. A conversation ensued. One consisting of chittering, clicking of chitinous mandibles, hisses, and the occasional screech. Whatever was discussed had the desired effect of easing the tension as they controlled their creatures, the bipedal warrior, approached.

"What you say is true, Irken. My Queen has strict orders. Just you. Your men stay." He emphasized with a pointed, razor-sharp talon to Mirage's leader.

That did not settle well with Amka's men with Xora being the first to approach to protest. The subtle movement at Amka's rear of another approach caught the warrior's attention, his antenna twitching and head jerking to the source of movement. It didn't take a translator to read the growing tension of the interruption.

The hiss of displeasure made it abundantly clear.

"Oh, forget tha-"

Amka's hand snapped up for Det to halt, never tearing his gaze away from the Queen's protector and servant towering over them some feet.

"Det, cool it, I have this under control." Amka calmly ordered his second before addressing the Royal once more, "What for?"

Convinced this leader had his lessers under control, his folded wings twitched, head snapping back to Amka with a tilt.

"My Queen will not negotiate from a position of weakness. You will accept."

"...Hostages."

"Better hostage than meal. Irken smarter than news abroad."

Amka ordered the rest of his team to stay put with minimal protest. The idea of their commanding officer going in alone, unsupported, and out-of-sight while being surrounded and outnumbered set off many a red flag. The Major made it explicitly clear that his orders to standby would be followed, none dared defy them.

Without further delay, he obliged the royal protector's orders. Following the biped and the royal down into the hive through the surface access tunnel burrowed by massive lessers tamed and domesticated, they descended. Fortunately for Amka, this Hive was nowhere near the size or scope of many others across the planet. A reflection of the briefing in the nature of their existence and societal structure vastly differing from the majority.

Behind several layers of additional security in the form of posted sentries, gates, and walls of the shedded protective exoskeletons of the lessers, the royal palace and queen's chambers laid beyond. Amka's "guide, for lack of a better term, led the Major through a final set of ornately-faceted and formed doors of similar chitinous material as the exterior walls.

Within the open expanse of a chamber resided what could pass for a throne. More of a supportive platform as the apparent queen would have required an absolutely massive chair. The similarities in features and structure between her and his guide made it clear they were of the same species, but she was nearly double the male's height and equally robust.

Stopping short of the female's facing back, the males dropped to their knees, bowing deeply in respect to their Queen. Amka would be wise to mimic them and in a display of intelligence and situational awareness, did so.

"My Queen, the Irken has arrived."

Her antenna twitched with a jerking twist and angling of her head to see the entourage before her. A flutter of her folded, transparent wings followed as she turned her towering body to face them properly.

"Rise. No need to grovel. What is this Irken called?"

"Amka," the Major began as he rose to his feet. "Major, Commanding Officer, Armada Special Operations Group Mirage."

"Amka." She repeated curiously, her head tilting to match despite the unnerving, unblinking eyes looking back at him. "Major…rank? Military? Soldier?"

"Correct, Major is my rank. I'm a soldier for the Empire."

"Amka, Major. Empire, Irken." She continued, repeating aloud as if practicing the notion to commit to memory. Two of her limbs rosed, taloned digits splayed to press to the front of her thorax before the connective partitions of her neck to her head. "Queen Vi'ka'nizan, Barren of Lost Hive."

Her limbs relaxed to her side in tandem once more, studiously gazing upon the much shorter alien before her.

"Hives buzz. Angry buzz. Empire, Irken cause buzz. Why?"

"The Empire has decided to conquer Vylat." He started, "The Alpha Queen has been taken from her hive and is now a…guest of the Empire's." He paused, looking at the confusion in the room. "I've been instructed to meet with you diplomatically with information we received from Orenk as to your hive's unique nature."

The word "conquer" did not settle well with the royal envoy in the room as a series of chitters and hisses sounded before the Queen sharply screeched at them with deafening volume. She would not tolerate their outbursts and made it clear. Silence overcame them.

"...Vylat? Home?" Her head tilted, earning a nod from Amka. "...why conquer? No threat to Empire, Irken. Only home. Remain home."

"The Empire wants your Shatterstone-"

Despite the Queen's declaration for discipline, the royal envoy's outburst of displeasure sounded once more. Far more sharply and one moving toward Amka with the intent to do harm as he clutched a rather brutal-looking melee implement in a single hand on either side of his body.

Fortunately for their visitor, the Queen's intervention was swift as the protective coverings of her wings snapped open and quartet of wings thrust her forward impossibly fast in an angry drone and screeching hiss. An equally-terrible weapon sheathed at her hip cleared its sheath and cut the transgressor down, falling into cleaved halves in the dirt before the Major.

She killed one of her own for defying her authority and threatening their visitor. Her rule was absolute and the defiance came to a dead stop at that point. Convinced there would only be one foolish attempt, her sword returned to its sheath, turning back to Amka as a swarm of smaller, flat insects skittered across the floor from abscesses in the walls to dispose of the fresh corpse.

"...Empire, Irken cannot have Shatterstone. Shatterstone belong to Vylat. Belong to home."

"Ma'am, there is an entire invasion about to be brought down upon this planet. The hives are going to fight each other soon. They'll take advantage and strike when you are all distracted."

"Hives always fight. Empire, Irken are not cause. Lost Hive because of Hives fighting. Why Empire, Irken interest in Lost Hive? Empire, Irken to conquer home? Conquer Lost Hive? Bold? Stupid?"

"...Ma'am, are you familiar with a Clan Korgur of Orenk? My General mentioned it when he informed me of your hive."

A nearby bipedal Royal warrior approached, one of his left arms missing, likely the reason for his rejection from his original hive. "Some of us, we lived as pirates before. Worked with Chief Korgur Carun."

The Queen's head snapped to the verbal intrusion. Either it was because of who it was or how he addressed Amka's query, she did not invoke another outburst of wrath. Rather, another curious adjustment of her head and antenna twitch.

"Orenk not Vylat. Korgur not Lost Hive. Irrelevant?"

"My General, he says your hive is reasonable. He wants to make a deal with you, but he's on Orenk. He sent me here in his place."

"Deal? Empire, Irken conquer home. Empire, Irken conquer Lost Hive. Empire, Irken make deal with Lost Hive? Empire, Irken want Shatterstone. Cannot have. What deal?"

"His proposal is that you-" his comlink buzzed, surprised it was working this far down. "One moment." A pair of fingers moved to his helmet, "Terror."

"Sir, the General wants to know if he can speak to her." Xora asked on the other side of the line.

Amka calmly reached into a pouch on his belt and withdrew a portable holographic projector, being careful not to move quickly as many eyes were upon him. He set the device down and turned it on, a hologram of General Vaukt appearing.

"I'm surprised your comms work that deep." Vaukt spoke, his image interspersed with some static.

"Ma'am, this is the General I was talking about. Vaukt, head of Special Operations for the Empire."

"Vaukt, General…superior?"

"I am indeed, yes. And if he's informed you so far, yes, I do wish to make a deal with you."

The Queen's mandibles clicked in annoyance.

"Amka, Major speak of deal. Give no deal. Stop wasting time. Speak of deal. Now."

"I like that attitude. I see your hive as extremely useful in the grand scheme of things. The deal is you work with the Empire now, I pull some strings to see to it you're the planetary liaison and will mediate things. I have certain plans in the works. If you agree to this in the short term, I'll gladly discuss my long term strategies with you regarding Vylat."

An awkward silence overcame the gathering as the barren Queen remained fixated on Vaukt's illuminated projection for some time.

"Liaison? Alpha Queen rule Vylat. Alpha Queen strongest Hive. Lost Hive not strongest Hive. False Alpha Queen. Amka, Major tell Empire, Irken plans. Conquer Vylat. Take Shatterstone. Cannot have Vylat. Cannot have Shatterstone."

"The current Alpha is a prisoner of the Empire and my guess is it's not too long before Grimm decides to throw her out an airlock. You need power, you'd have the Empire's backing if you agree to this. You'll have my voice in the Empire especially. Right now, they're going to take your Shatterstone whether you like it or not. They will land on Vylat, they will take it, they will kill anything that gets in their way. I'm making this deal with you for the assurances of your species' future."

"Empire, Irken back False Alpha Queen. False Alpha Hive. Betray. Take Shatterstone. Not stupid."

"I assure you I'm the absolute last one who would betray someone. Especially for my long term plans."

Amka blinked, "Sir, what are these long term plans you keep mentioning?"

"None of your concern right now. I'll discuss them with the queen privately if she accepts this short term arrangement. I keep my word."

A pause.

"Vaukt, General hide from Amka, Major. Expect trust. Keep secrets. Suspicious. Empire, Irken do not understand Vylat. Do not understand Hives. Plans will fail."

"Major."

"Sir?"

"None of what I say leaves this room. You get me? I even hear one syllable of this leave your mouth, I'll have your deactivation button pushed myself. Understood?"

Amka swallowed, understanding the implications of what he implied. "Yes, General."

"Good. I fully intend on upending the Empire in the near future. Topple the Tallest, end the needless conquests. Your hive is essential to the long term on Vylat. Join me, help the Empire in the short term, in the long term the Empire will be off Vylat for good."

Amka's jaw practically dropped inside his helmet but he remained quiet. Treason? Clearly he expected power plays of Grimm, but the General? This was news to him as much as it was the bugs.

"...Vaukt, General serve Empire, Irken. Vaukt, General…fight Empire, Irken? Help Empire, Irken…to fight Empire, Irken?" The Lost Hive's leader struggled to make sense of the information being presented before her. "...why trust? Empire, Irken betray allies. Betray Federation, Vortian. Same of Lost Hive."

"Because I'm working to assist the Vortians long term as well. The Federation still persists outside their homeworld. I certainly will not betray you. I want to see an end to the needless conquest and loss of my men. We in the resistance need to gain a critical mass underground before we move into the open against the Empire. That's the plan anyhow." Vaukt paused.

"Vortians, sir?" Amka asked, clearly confused at this revelation.

"Yes, Vortians. Tell you what, as a token of my good will, I'll see to it that some Vortian plasma rifles and mass drivers are delivered to your hive. Empire's got warehouses full of them that the regs won't use because they hate alien technology. Nothing says I can't give it to you for your assistance."

That certainly caught the Queen's attention in full. Affairs offworld of Vylat may have been trivial in passing, but the universe knew of the Vortian's mastery of technology and their destructive potential. The universe needed to look no further at all the technology the Irken stole from them and are now paying the price for that betrayal.

"...Vaukt, General give weapons to Lost Hive. Lost Hive becomes mighty. Lost Hive crush rivals. Lost Hive…become Alpha Hive." The possibility seemed to excite the royal congregation. "...Lost Hive assist Vaukt, General, Empire, Irken leave forever?"

"Correct. Once we topple the Tallest, the Empire will leave Vylat behind, but you can keep those weapons we give you. Spoils of war and what not."

The Queen's head lifted with a series of insectoid noises to follow. More "encrypted" conversation among those present in the room able to understand. Advanced as Empire translators were, they didn't speak bug very well ironically enough. Even so, the general mood and infliction of these noises were less angry when compared to those from before that resulted in one of their deaths. Eventually, her chittering ended and head returned to the Irken and his illuminated projection.

"...Lost Hive will assist Vaukt, General make Empire, Irken leave forever. One condition." Her head snapped to Amka. "Vaukt, General or Empire, Irken betray Lost Hive, Amka, Major will be food. Amka, Major men will be food. All Irken will be food. Vylat devour Irken. Irken no more. Queen Vi'ka'nizan the Barren understood?"

"Understood. I'll make sure that one of my close associates in this movement is placed on Vylat that answers to me. No betrayal will come from my end. In the meantime, Amka, get word to the higher ups that this hive will submit to the Empire. We'll see to it that their hive isn't hit in the coming attacks."

"Yes, General."

"And remember what I said about anything leaving this room."

"Lost Hive work with Vaukt, General. Empire, Irken leave Lost Hive alone. Lost Hive will not eat Irken unless Irken betray." The Queen reiterated for the sake of clarification. "Vaukt, General provide weapons. Lost Hive crush rival Hives. Empire, Irken benefit until Vaukt, General betray Empire, Irken. Empire, Irken leave forever. Vylat safe. Shatterstone safe."

"Yes. I'll get to arranging the shipment of captured Vortian weapons to your hive. You should see them within a month or two. The other hives will certainly answer to you. I'll have my man leave behind a means of communication with me. I'll let you know when to strike."

"Lost Hive will be ready. Suspicious, but chance given. Give reason to trust, Lost Hive loyal." She insinuated before casually bending over to pick Amka up with her bottom set of arms, bringing him eye-level with her off of the ground. "Amka, Major does not grovel. Lost Hive Queen does not bend to invaders. Equals."

One of her unoccupied hands extended to the Major, palm open. Her other unsheathed a smaller dagger near her sabre before quickly drawing its edge across her open palm. Immediately, a thick, gelatinous yellow oozed from the wound.

"Give hand. Palm up. Open."

"...General?"

"You're acting in my stead, Major."

"Give hand or eat head. Now."

"Okay, okay, no need to tell me twice." He reached over and undid one of his gauntlets before removing the glove underneath, holding out his left hand.

As commanded, he obeyed. Despite being so easily handled and much smaller than the Queen clutching him, her deft digits gingerly held his hand before drawing the dagger just as unceremoniously across his own hand. Deep green, viscous blood immediately ran. Her open-wounded palm turned over and grasped his freshly-cut palm.

"My blood, your blood. Your blood, my blood. Bound by blood. Family. Family protects family. Amka, Major, brother. Queen Vi'ka'nizan, Barren of Lost Hive, sister."

The embrace of their bleeding hands, bright yellow and dark green, swirled and spattered into a lime green at their feet. After several more moments, her bloodied palm released Amka's to…spit thick saliva into the Irken's palm and grasp it once more. Several more seconds and intentional kneading later, she retracted, and the fresh cuts in both their hands were now sealed, tacky with drying blood.

"Amka, brother, is welcome in Lost Hive." She declared, sheathing her dagger.

The Major was quiet as he watched it all transpire. Now his hand was covered with bug spit and dried blood, both his own and that of an alien. That was just swell. Mhar was going to have his head for this later. If he didn't die of blood poisoning on the way back up. Once he was set down he replaced his glove and the armored gauntlet. Definitely going to burn this pair of gloves once he got back. Just like Vaukt said, he also set down a communicator capable of reaching the General.

"Uh…thank you, ma'am." He paused, "I really should get back up to my team so I can alert the people who need to know about your hive."

A short chitter of orders saw the same pair responsible for leading Amka down into the Hive move.

"Farewell, Amka, Major. Lost Hive welcome always."

Amka followed the pair of Royals out of the hive back the way they came. Once on the surface, he got on his radio once again.

"Oversight, Mirage Actual, mark this position."

"Actual, Oversight, what's the significance?"

"This hive is now friendly to the Empire. General's plan worked. Say you're with Vaukt, it'll get you in well enough. Don't attack them, the alliance is tenuous right now."

"We'll spread the word through to the rest. Oversight out."

Amka left the Royals behind, then the Warriors outside, stepping back on the shuttle. "Get us home."

"With pleasure…" Phla's wide eyes spoke volumes greater from the cockpit as she settled into the pilot's seat. "Planet full of creepy-crawlies, feel like I need a dozen showers."

"Yeah, no kidding. Mhar, meet me in the medbay once we land."

"Sir?"

"I'll explain when we're in there…"

Equal parts confused as he was concerned at Amka's request, the medic left it lie for the time being. Everyone aboard was relieved to not fight their way out of a second den of gnashing mandibles and horrendous screeching growing in crescendo. The first operation was a close call. The short jaunt from Vylat's surface back to their orbiting vessel amidst the staged Armada fleet took only a matter of minutes. Warm food and hot showers awaited them all.

Amka, meanwhile, abandoned the simple pleasures for more pressing matters. Once he and Mhar were in the medbay, the beleaguered Major took a seat in a chair, casting aside his left armored gauntlet and then the glove, revealing his filthy hand to the Sublieutenant. He wasn't pleased with this outcome at the very least, all he could hope is that he wasn't going to come down with a case of incurable Bugitis.

"...I effectively had to make a blood pact before I could leave the nest. Just hope I'm not poisoned."

Mhar blinked, processing what his superior dropped in his proverbial lap. His attention drifted to the soiled hand, a freshly-sealed, cleanly-sliced laceration visible in his palm.

"Pois-...what did you do down there?!" He sought, seizing his wrist for a closer look. "Did they do this to you?"

"I was effectively told it was either my hand or she bites my head…I wasn't keen on having that happen. Unfortunately this was for the sake of the mission." Amka sighed, shaking his head. "Things we do for the Empire, am I right?"

Amidst the Major's explanation, Mhar worked feverishly in acquiring a blood sample to review. Further questions could wait. Within a matter of minutes, he had a vial drawn and a drop under a microscope for review. He tossed a piece of linen and antiseptic at Amka before looking through the eyepiece.

"Here, sterilize your hand…and just so I'm understanding you correctly, Major…you went down into the hole with those bugs, talked to their leader, and…she made you make a blood pact with her? I assume she did the same to her own hand and…mixed them?"

As he spoke, he adjusted and focused the microscope, peering through the eyepiece.

"...well…you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Well, to answer the first one, yes, she did the same with her own." Amka replied as he wiped off his hand with the disinfectant. "Secondly, bad news first."

"Not sure what exactly these things are, but there are foreign bodies in your blood. Don't appear to be doing anything harmful and your body isn't fighting them, but these things are definitely not Irken. Won't know for sure without further analysis and consulting an expert. I know how to stop bleeding and stuff your guts back in, not identify microbiological organisms."

He sighed, pulling the slide from the microscope to be cleaned later.

"...far as I can tell, you're not going to die. Immediately. Hopefully your PAK will do something about it…hopefully it doesn't make it worse. Can be optimistic assuming this queen wouldn't have done that knowing it would be lethal to you."

"...Maybe we can somehow get in touch with the Shadow Strikers' medical team? I don't know how hard they are to get a hold of but maybe they know something." The Major removed his other gauntlet and tossed the other glove next to the one that was covering his soiled hand. "I do know she can't lay eggs in me so that rules out offspring but I'm not amused about the result of this."

"What was the pact even for?"

"The hive is going to support the Empire. They'll liaise for the planetary governor that gets sent in and help keep the other hives in line. Looks like the General's intelligence on Orenk was as accurate as could be." Amka was certain not to even remotely mention what he had heard. Vaukt absolutely would follow through on the threat levied against him.

"Suppose that makes it worth the risk of whatever this ends up turning into." Mhar reasoned with a shrug. "Unfortunately you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, Major. If it means Vylat will fall under Imperial rule all the easier, it will have been worth it."

"My thoughts exactly. One less bug hive to fight, one on our side to help keep the others in order that'll make things easier on the occupation forces. Couldn't ask for a better outcome, right?" He looked down at his hand, catching some gauze that the medic tossed him to wrap his hand. "I'm sure you'll keep this from the others, rather not have word get out to the others, especially Xora. I love that woman's work but by Irk will she heckle me relentlessly about this if she found out."

"Find out about what? Your new bug girlfriend?" Mhar smirked at him with a chuckle. "I won't say a word but they're going to ask about your hand nevertheless."

The Major shook his head with a chuckle of his own. "Misunderstanding with one of the Royals of the lesser variety. Say he grazed my hand pretty good." He rose, grabbing his pair of gloves. "I'll take these to the incinerator and get rid of them. Let me know if you can reach Lieutenant Sula, hopefully she knows a thing or two about these."

"I'll send a message their way and let you know if she responds. Otherwise, we're on our own. Keep it clean and let me know if anything changes with it."