Hive Queen Quest 60.3

There is literally nothing they could do about it.

I think they'll be too busy pissing themselves in terror to be angry.

> How mad is the Union going to be when they find out we're buddies with the Commonwealth and Unity?
Between that and the territorial demands, I expect they'll be very mad. We already met Morgan, he was supposed to be the diplomatic one and even he had salt to spare, I expect that the others will be even more so.

Well congratulations, Lyle caught you. What's the next part of your master plan?

Destroying this science lab. With no survivors!

Their impotence will only make their butthurt more delicious.

The only reason Union is going to be upsetti, is because they like to think of themselves as top dog when they have clearly been getting shown up in literally everything lately.

Union is not top dog anymore.

Within the shuttle, the human guests groggily stumble from their common area in confusion, several workers and a speaker guiding them along.

"This way, humans." Your speaker says in annoyance as a worker props one of them up against a wall like a cardboard cutout.

"Where are we?"

"You are on a human world. Humans leave now. This way. Please exit." Your speaker chitters as the workers nudge them to the boarding ramp hallway. They rub their eyes as they begin to wake fully, wiping traces of medical salve from their cleaned but worn environment suits.

"Wait, you mean we're free to leave? Back to the Union?"

"Yes! Quickly, this way, the Hive is saddened at your leaving. We will miss you please visit." Your speaker chirps rapidly in a rushed tone as more workers nudge and push the humans as the speaker directs them to the door. "Watch your step, to legs not as good. Easy to trip. Careful, yes. Goodbye, come again, leave please!"

A thick wall of steam emanates from the ramp as the damp, hot air within mixes with the dry, frigid air of Gemini as the interior doors open, and a line of humans begin to stumble out of the walkway in tattered but well cleaned field suits, confused as they look arround at the sudden torrent of camera flashes and the clack of shutters that quickly drowns out the sounds of guards pushing back against the crowd beyond the erected police barriers. The human dignitaries look equally confused, calling to nearby guards and military police as several medics rush forward.

cont.

>"Watch your step, to legs not as good. Easy to trip. Careful, yes. Goodbye, come again, leave please!"

Fucking comedy gold.

>know associates of their killer rogue AI
>reports coming in of them helping their Cold War turned hot rival
>evidence connecting them to homegrown terrorists on Path
Peace was never an option, was it?

youtube.com/watch?v=QR3fD5YyN3g

What are they going to do about it?

We can be at peace with them, they just need to be taken down a few pegs.

>evidence connecting them to homegrown terrorists on Path
They don't have this quite yet (I hope).

Peace may be an option if we make the alternative sufficiently suicidal. Right now we have a doom fleet over the capital and haven't opened fire. The Union would have to shoot first to start a war with us, and that's something they are unlikely to do.

It's possible they'll think the OB is an offshoot of our forces, but we may be able to work around that diplomatically when refusing our diplomats would have such dire consequences for them.

Besides, we still have blackmail material up the wazoo against the Union higher-ups (such as creating a fake casus beli for war with a weakened Commonwealth by attempting to assassinate their own rep). Surly we are smart enough to use this knowledge at least partially to our advantage.

Peace is always an option, all it requires is for the Union to realize they aren't the big dog in the instellar galactic order that they thought they were.

>It's possible they'll think the OB is an offshoot of our forces
We need to make it very clear that Auntie is worst betrayer and a genocidal maniac who has been hunting down our species (and others) for the last 40,000 human years. We don't need Human permission to continue a war that started before they crawled out of caves.

Yes please do come back next time you should bring fewer guns and not defile graves

As if a herd of wild beasts at a watering hole, every sentient shoots their gaze to your shuttle as a distant growl emanates from within, the guards and military police rushing the medics, who in turn rush away the bewildered humans back into the crowded ring of guards and armored vehicles as the stomping of your heavy warriors echoes from within the throat of the shuttle's hallway. They march forth, creaking the bone beneath them as they stomp down the ramp to the asphalt surface of the landing pad, their claws scraping its as they try to dig into the surface beneath. Their massive mandibles chitter and clack as steam ruptures forth from the breathing tubes along their back like the exhaust of an armored vehicle, an echoing roar rumbling forth from their breath tubes like a revving engine as their blades twitch in their muscular sheath cuticles, itching, begging for one of the humans to charge them as their unblinking eyes keep close track of every trigger finger, and its distance from its associated trigger.

They glare at the gathered hoard in disapproval, and step to either side of the ramp, clicking their mandibles in reverence as the speaker drone steps forth, its long, folded bipedal legs easily striding the ramp in two steps as it ducks slightly beneath the shuttle's threshold. Lee quickly moves in behind, his helmet sealed into an insectoid visage as the small mandibles click and fold into the various water filters and micro-nutrient processors to allow consumption of food in hostile atmospheres, giving the appearance of short, stubby mandibles. The swept back antennae held in a tight cluster of short spikes offering radio and psionic communications, as well as improved auditory abilities. Your parasite disseminates a small dose of sedatives and adjusts several chemical mixtures in response to a sudden increase in heart rate.

Behind Lee two more heavy warriors march forth, gathering in a protective formation around Lee and your speaker.
cont.

>Your parasite disseminates a small dose of sedatives and adjusts several chemical mixtures in response to a sudden increase in heart rate.
kek

That's assuming that the humans will believe us. For all we know they might think we're only pretending to have two factions to infiltrate their glorious Union or some other such nonsense.

We might be able to explain, in private, a few things to Union high command. They already saw human crystalized brains and an attempted Void God incursion. We should point out that they may want to consider what happens to a consolidated intelligence hive mind entity when its brains start turning to crystal like their researchers did at Nowhere. This will at least partially satisfy their curiosity and will hopefully give our statements the tinge of truth.

We really need to stop calling our spine pals "parasites" considering how damn useful they are.

Yeah, by very definition they are closer to symbiotes in function at this point.

"Symbiotes"

There, that's a much nicer sounding word.

We shouldn't really talk about the void god stuff to anyone who doesn't already know about it.

And it doesn't matter if the humans believe us or not. Their cooperation is not required If they choose to disbelieve, then they can invent as many conspiracy theories as they want, but it won't actually change what we do.

I suggest a re-branding.

Body Buddies, your bestest internal pal.

Never be alone again! NEVER.

Never alone, forever!

Neet Buddies?

honestly I dont know why we didnt go with that name in the first place.
this is a good idea to start with for marketing them.

Holy shit I just realized these things are like the best drugs and cult recruitment tool ever.
Think about one of the biggest draws of religions, they give you a sense that you are a part of something bigger and that there is someone/thing that looks after and cares about you. When you use these things you can guarantee that people will will feel these things.
Get a Body Buddie and never feel alone or unloved ever again.

>honestly I dont know why we didnt go with that name in the first place.
Because they were made originally for the insidious purpose of infiltration and enslavement of local populace and important individuals.

well yeah but they dont have to know that.

a bit direct, don't you think?

>Body buddies
>Buddybombs
Yay!

You watch as members of the collection of dignitaries stir uneasily as the heavy warriors march forth. They halt, and pivot as the speaker moves past them with Lee quick behind.

"Where is the Morgan?" Your speaker says. A human eyes your drones cautiously.

"He is busy, at the moment. He did ask if... Mr. Lee could be able to meet him in his office, however." The human says. "I am Ambassador Michael Pierce. This is Alex Lang." The human gestures to the man beside him, the human you saw with Morgan in your Hive ship. "He was intended to serve as your personal dignitary, but I understand you... brought your own. A human citizen of your, uh, Hive?"

"A better one." Your speaker chitters. Lee thinks the command and his helmet clicks and opens, folding into a small ornate crest along his collar. A moment later you hear, in perfect unison, the sudden whirl of a thousand zooming camera lenses followed by a blinding wall of flashes of light.

You can hear murmurs in the crowd of press, hundreds of reporters chirping into their microphones at once as a wave of unease comes over the crowd. Lightyears away, your clones wake up from their slumber in the makeshift barracks they have been provided. You hear laughter, a deep, almost wrenching laughter, as if moments from a coughing fit. The sound of a cane hitting the floor is followed by several medics rushing through the tunnels of the underground hideout as the laughing continues into bouts of coughing, and then more laughing.

"What do you mean he wanted to talk with me? Alone?" Lee asks.

"Yes, I would guess that was the general idea." Pierce says. "Since you likely don't know your way around this area, or know anyone's contact number, which is mostly what a human representative is for, Lang will be serving as your secretary for the duration of your stay. Please, contact him if you need anything or have any questions." He points to Lang, who gives a nervous curt nod back to Lee, which causes Lee to double take.

what am I looking at

I wonder if a small retinue of chimaera in power armor would be a better guard while Lee is inside taking. I mean heavy warriors make a great impression but I dont see them fitting inside "well"

>never feel alone or unloved ever again.
Nah, that is talking to them about ending their weakness, but most people lie to themselves about that kind of thing. Need to offer them strength instead. Like be part of something greater for everyone.

>You hear laughter, a deep, almost wrenching laughter, as if moments from a coughing fit. The sound of a cane hitting the floor is followed by several medics rushing through the tunnels of the underground hideout as the laughing continues into bouts of coughing, and then more laughing.

At least we know he's happy about Lee. This is perfect for us.

It would seem Anderson's sides have failed him. He will need to be improved, with better ones.

"Please, follow me, you have a transport waiting." He says, the group make their way to a large armored transport near the edge of the ring surrounding the landing pad. The interior is incredibly spacious, unusually so, with rows of seats along either wall, with straps along the floor clearly intended to secure cargo.

"We use these to help ferry Valen dignitaries. We were unsure how much room you would need for your retinue." Pierce says. "We will take you from here to the parliament building. It has a dignitary housing section within the complex where you will be able to arrange meetings and have access to our hospitality." Your speaker chitters at the statement.

>Speak with the humans (write in)
>Demand to be taken directly to Morgan's office
>Go to your assigned embassy
>Other (write in)

>Go to your assigned embassy

>Go to your assigned embassy
no need to complicate this further, right?

Why was Lee surprised at seeing Lang? Do they know each other?

>Demand to be taken directly to Morgan's office

Wow thats gay, we didn't get to provide our own Embassy? Then again its easier to spy on us with one they made.

>>Go to your assigned embassy
Begin renovations

>Go to your assigned embassy

If this is going to be nasty or tense, let's not be the first to sour it. Everything that goes wrong has to be the Union's fault.

>Go to your assigned embassy

>>Go to your assigned embassy

>Go to your assigned embassy
We would have to GROW ours and the humans are not used to your Bio-buildings yet.

For that matter QD, can we make one with out the use of the creep?

>>Go to your assigned embassy
Do NOT renovate it. We don't want them to get samples of hive creep and we don't need to worry much about bugging because we can talk to Lee in his head.
Also are we telling them about our alliance with the Commonwealth against the Scavs? I mainly just want to comment about how the Commonwealth makes more comfortable seating than the Union.

Oh, they can watch us with all the little cameras they want. We're here to make contact, after all, and we're literally telepathic in a way they can't really understand or intercept yet, so it's not like they can spy on anything we want secret. It's not like our speakers keep a diary.

Lee might, be we're inside his head and can coach him to avoid anything too dumb.

I think he was surprised to have an assistant and to have anyone show him deference.

>Also are we telling them about our alliance with the Commonwealth against the Scavs?

I'd wait for them to ask, and I'd limit how much we say about the progress of any war that a de facto ally has not also agreed to disclose.

>Go to your assigned embassy.

Demand to be taken directly to Morgan's office

Did you guys forget we just destroyed bq fleet at Tokyo right now? We need to talk with the higher ups Pronto

>Go to your assigned embassy
>Demand Morgan comes to embassy
You ain't making us look like no clingy bitch you come to us motherfucker.

Since we obviously have more info about what went down then they do they will come to us. All we have to do is wait, then offer them some honey when they turn up.

Endtown Buddibombs. Consumer military-grade smart bombs, designed for the whole family!

I've just got one thing to say theyou better have a God Dame couch designed for our body type i mean seriously we've changed our biology to better convers with them they could at least cut the arms of a couch or set up a hamic or something

>Go to your assigned embassy

The truck lurches forth, but is surprisingly smooth, floating into the air and quickly gliding towards the parliament building complex past perimeter after perimeter of military defences. Lee watches through a small slot in the armor as the truck glides past a pair of tanks.

"I don't remember the city being so... militarized." He says.

"An armada in orbit will tend to do that." Peirce replies. Your warriors grumble.

The truck begins to slow, eventually halting as it enters underground section of the parliament building. Pierce quickly makes his way to a small door along the side of the armor plating with his group of assistants.

"Sadly, I cannot stay with you the entire way. Lang will help you with anything you need, but I have a hoard of press to attend to." He says quickly, Lang seems to nearly protest, but halts himself just short as the door slams shut. Lang simply looks to the floor, his practiced smile eroded with fear. Lee clears his throat.

"Are you alright?" Lee asks. Lang looks up at him with a fake laugh.

"Oh yes. Just, a bit nervous. I guess you're a... a tad bit intimidating I suppose." He says. Lee leans back, looking up at your speaker wide eyed.

"Intimidated?" He asks silently. Your speaker chitters as Lee looks back at the short human. "Well I suppose that's a first." He says. "Been having a lot of those lately."

The truck stops again, this time within a courtyard. The main doors open and Lang steps out.

"This is your assigned embassy. The outer wall is a configurable office building, so you can adjust the layout however you want. There is parking and car storage beneath us, and air traffic above, so keep anything below the roof of the outer wall offices and no basement levels, but otherwise you can build whatever architecture you wish in the courtyard, or just use the offices. The courtyard is considered your sovereign territory for as long as you stay here." He says. "Any questions?"

>(write in)

When can we see Morgan?

Let's just notify Morgan that we're expecting him.

He's gonna find out about the xeno situation in the commonwealth soon enough, and boy will that get him running.

Can we fit a capillary tower in the courtyard?

>"when can we meet morgan?"

goddammit

"Can we leave the embassy anytime we want?"

No. What we do is call him here and then say we were gonna tell him something related to the commonwealth but thought better of it.
Then when he leaves fuming at the wasted time he'll get informed halfway to his office and be forced to turn around. Why? Because Morgan.

I don't think its within legal city limits drone....UNLESS WE PUT MOST OF IT UNDERGROUND. GENESIS

Tell us a bit about yourself Lang. How did you wind up with this gig, and what sort of qualifications have you got.

>(write in)
Give us a copy of the zoning laws just in case

user

Maybe if we can make it small enough, gonna fuck up air and space traffic though, and i'm pretty sure "sovereign hive territory" doesn't extend far enough underground to support the tower.

Yeah this Also, maybe ask for honey and figurines for the speaker and Lee.

A bit to much, we want to have fun with him not make him so pissed he'll do everything to fuck us over.

Voting this

Supporting general good stuff.

And I suppose. Check that we won't get hated on for defending ourselves against crazy right wingers or something. "But officer, he was all up in my face. He was basically begging for an orbital bombardment."

>>(write in)
How far up and down does this sovereignty extend?

The Hive is expecting Morgan.

The Hive is also open for press conferences.

It has to be built on the equator, dummy.

Figurines of what faction? Nids because we're huge faggots?

Christ I feel bad for anyone that dares trying to throw a rotting vegetable at our ambassador speaker.

Not only would it be caught reflexively our speakers are strong enough to beam someone's head off if they wanted.

For some reason that picture reminds me of a potted plant.

>The Hive is also open for press conferences.
HAHA YES

>The Hive is expecting Morgan.
>The Hive is also open for press conferences.
DEFINITELY mention we're open to press conferences.

It's painful just imagining it.
Like that video with the woman and the backfiring watermelon catapult.

>Xeno Bugs open trade
>exchange couches for traditional game figurines

>The Hive is also open for press conferences.
Time to rant about Human inadequacy again!

>Idiots trow fruit and vegetables at our speaker.
>It just catches them all and puts them in a basket.
"Thank you for the free food."

Press conferences a yes. Speaker diplomacy a best.

Nutrients are nutrients after all.

>"We don't want no shitty bugs on gem-"
>human fruit-punted into unconscious somersault
>other troublemakers think twice