NOVPUBThe void ant commander was apologetic in the way that Anton only ever saw in them. The people of the Alliance were loyal, but that didn’t mean most of them were going around speaking about how they should be executed for mistakes- even ones that were potentially major like the incident on the second ring.
Anton wasn’t going to say it was a small incident despite the actual damages being minimal. In fact, it hardly mattered if everything was completely true and it was just a single void ant acting upon forgotten instincts- it was a serious diplomatic incident. Even if things would be settled appropriately in due time, the interaction set back potential friendship.
The biggest mitigating factor was that it was only void ants that were directly involved- Anton could at least give a pass to those human soldiers that hadn’t attacked. Even if it was because their reactions were too slow, nobody had to bring it up. Void ants were a serious part of Alliance culture and seemingly of similar importance to the Temine people, but their willingness to die might actually help settle things.
Anton just wanted to figure out if it would ultimately be better for them to choose to die and be forgiven or not. Those consequences would be carefully considered. For now, the biggest immediate consequence was that his trip would be ending more abruptly than intended.
“This device will only work for you, Gerhard. Should something unfortunate happen to you in the intervening years, then the designated meeting point will be the outlying asteroids.”
“Understood,” Gerhard acknowledged.
Ultimately, the last portion of the trip had resulted in promises of future interactions. Anton wouldn’t say that things were ruined… but if the void ant reveal hadn’t resulted in unfortunate violence they might have been decades further along in terms of potential future relations. A perfect record, marred by something they truly hadn’t expected. The Alliance would still be quite pleased to see that there were other void ants cooperating with humans, and public opinion would likely be high. Perhaps that might make up for most of it, as Anton had no intention of bringing up the incident in public. However, the various leaders needed to know, and that would influence policy in the near future.
Some manner of things would involve whether the Great Queen could tolerate more void ants. That was actually quite promising, because she had sort of adopted those that were being experimented with by the Exalted Quadrant. Likewise, the Temine void ants appeared to have multiple queens from different origins- though that was only an initial impression from what Anton had observed.
Ultimately, Temine was far enough away that if relations soured the Alliance could simply just not visit. Unless they were hiding horrible secrets of some sort, there was no reason to go to war. But even if the people of Temine didn’t know how much, the Lower Realms Alliance had much to offer them- things that might be critical for the rapidly approaching end of the cycle. Every bit of hesitancy could make a significant difference in lives saved.
Anton always felt awkward trading off with other cultivators on diplomatic matters. Not because he didn’t believe they could do better, but because of the very situation he’d run into. They wouldn’t be as able to handle danger as he was.
And yet, conversely, they would probably be in less danger. If Temine didn’t want anyone around, they would have said so. The various rings appeared unified enough with how easily people went between them, and no alternative factions had approached Anton. There was no reason to kill a weaker cultivator.
But it still felt cowardly. Like fleeing from that tiny assault. Anton knew, however, that neither truly was. The void ants were a serious threat, mainly ignored by people who were dead now.
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“It’s sad that we have to go,” Bear Hug commented. “I thought we were going to be good friends.”
“We might be,” Anton said. “But think of this like befriending Briar.” Comparing a single small incident to sustained and willful attempts to murder Bear Hug wasn’t really correct, but Anton’s friend would understand the sentiment. “It will just take time.”
“Okay. Can I stay?”
“Not right now,” Anton shook his head. “But eventually, you can come back.” Perhaps Temine didn’t have great enough military forces to make relevant use of Bear Hug’s ability to communicate instantly, and threatening Bear Hug wouldn’t go much better than doing so to anyone else… but it was just less complicated.
Anton had initially wanted to stay for a few years, but now he would be moving on to other systems- those that were somewhat less appealing and housing only perfectly natural star formations.
The systems he would be touring would have been better explored- only determining actual civilization was within a particular system had kept the scouts from studying the area. Anton would find it more and more difficult to be a meaningful part of the Alliance’s exploration activities… but he could still exploit his status to see new and barely visited systems. Especially the cool ones that Bear Hug would like to see.
Then after a few years, whenever they managed to arrange for the void ant commander and hopefully some human natives of Temine to be sent to In’Istra, Anton would be there waiting.
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“I will devour your foes,” the Great Queen said.
“That’s really not necessary,” Anton said. “I could have squashed them there, if I wanted to.” Anton certainly had sufficient energy to harm void ants, unless they were significantly tougher than most known individuals. The Great Queen might resist the power of Domination or Unity directly, but Anton most of the other queens couldn’t for very long. “If an execution is merited, it should be formal and limited. Consider what you would do to your own brood that harmed a diplomatic mission.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“... If they made such a grievous error as to attack a non-foe, they would be executed. The commander responsible should have anticipated the situation, or reacted swiftly enough to head off an incident..”
A high standard, but Anton understood the premise. After all, that was what the void ants of Temine seemed to accept. They had suggested death, in which case Anton thought it should be done with dignity. That didn’t stop Anton from suggesting an alternative, however. And the Great Queen found it more than acceptable.
It had been long enough for ships carrying diplomats to go out, a small number returning with a group from the other end. Including, of course, the void ants. To Anton’s understanding, they had also sent some royal guard- perhaps the highest acceptable sacrifice should there be a betrayal. They were to report back about the results, no doubt. The humans could have done that, but a void ant perspective was preferred.
Anton’s recordings of language had sent many people into a frenzy trying to create proper translation devices for the visit. It wasn’t possible to create a complete translation, since even Anton hadn’t observed every form of speech and writing- and the recordings of the area immediately around him were less thorough. However, the energy language would fill the gaps. In addition, some of the people of Temine might know the ‘old speech’.
As the ships approached In’istra- the closest major Alliance system- Anton watched the reactions of the humans. Slowly, they became more aware of the volume of natural energy. While Temine was certainly quite potent with their setup of stars, only their inner ring matched the levels of the various planets in the system. More stars might be better, ultimately, but there were better methods.
With the population of the alliance growing not just in one system but in many, they far outpaced the people of Temine. Even if In’istra had been nearly wiped out at one point, that was now over a millennium in the past.
Having the group visit the core worlds had been suggested, but both to save significant amounts of distance in the journey and to not display everything the Alliance had, In’istra was chosen. Anton was becoming increasingly more interested in the upper realms’ spatial distortions as time went on. Both needed to take into account the paths of invaders, and how they could be deactivated intentionally if necessary. But that wasn’t Anton’s job.
Varghese went out to greet them, along with some of the other prominent locals. Even if some portion of the visitors were there for Anton, it was important to show that others had authority. Anton knew it might also make him seem more important, but there were balancing factors that all had to be considered.
When the ships arrived, Anton was shown a unique sight. Before any of the humans from Temine departed- just some of the Alliance crew necessary- the void ants made their way out. Rather than a place of higher importance, Anton interpreted it as part of the seriousness of their mission. Specifically, it was the way in which they departed. Void ants were carried by others, not in places of honor but inverted, unable to react. Anton suspected they willingly ended up in that position, but it did not make it any less meaningful.
“Interesting,” the Great Queen commented. “Perhaps we should adopt that method. Not that we often have need for penitence.”
“... Should we go meet them?” Anton asked. “It’s going to be a long walk.” Void ants could travel quickly, if they arranged themselves into three dimensional formations. But walking step by step? They were at best large ants, restrained by the slowest among them.
“The hallway outside should be sufficient,” the Great Queen said. “I do agree that the diplomatic chambers might be a bit remote for such a procession.”
It was a surreal experience for Anton to watch a serious encounter with void ants on both sides. Anton was used to void ants, of course. He’d accidentally brought the Great Queen out with him, after all. He’d just never seen them opposed to each other, on different sides of things.
The visiting void ants adapted rapidly, laying down their ‘captives’, belly up. Surely void ants could flip themselves over, but the ceremony was meaningful enough. Several individuals that had to be royal guard or other high ranking individuals stood out front, not guarding as much as officiating.
The Great Queen approached. “I sign for the sake of the humans who watch, and so that you might learn our speech.”
Anton had no doubt that there were many exchanges of pheromones as the Great Queen moved back and forth in front of the accompanying ants. She was far larger than any of the rest- though it was unclear if any of these were the largest specimens available. Their queens likely wouldn’t be much bigger, in any case.
“They ask for forgiveness of impropriety,” the Great Queen explained to Anton, also seeming to manipulate energy in similar patterns to the foreign void ants. “The commander is filled with contrition, and is willing to surrender her life- and of course that of her subordinates.”
Humans were watching from the ship.
“Tell them we accept this offering for a future of peace,” Anton said, merely repeating what had been planned. “The lives at stake are sufficient penance. However,” Anton’s dramatic pause was more for the human audience. “We offer the alternative of living penance, should the void ants of Temine find it acceptable.”
They couldn't really know how they would respond. Fortunately, the Great Queen was able to explain.
As void ants, it was quite possible that many of the commander’s subordinates weren’t people. That wasn’t just a societal thing- everyone agreed that not every void ant was sapient in the same way as humans, Akrysians, and the people of Klar. Though of course, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be. The point being that Anton knew that the commander definitely was. She spoke for herself, after all.
He really didn’t want someone to die unnecessarily. For the sake of the many who made up their different civilizations they might have to… but if there was an acceptable alternative he thought they should at least try.
Anton waited tensely as the void ants interacted, perhaps slowed down by their different habits. Mutual understanding might not have been as exact.
He hoped to see mercy rather than death, but either way things would resolve in a short time.
