It had been nearly two days since The Apiary had been boarded and Mira taken hostage by the would-be burglars, but Queen and Kin were still fretting over her, as if they expected to find a previously undiscovered injury or concern with each new check.
Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Mira gently brushed a few workers out of her hair, ones who had ‘accidentally’ bumped her, but conveniently remained on her as well, checking for the umpteenth time for damage or bruises. While Mira had escaped the encounter with little more than a sore elbow from her escape leap past the alien’s grasp, the two aliens had not fared as well.
When Mira had taken a look out on the landing pad, fully expecting to see the splattered and deceased remains of Humboldt, instead she saw a wet patch on the grating, but nothing else and no sign of his presence other than a juicy trail that led off towards the market. When she had a chance to ask Queen and Kin about them, they confirmed that likely the two aliens were alive, if sorely regretting their actions.
“Diuks are generally resilient to any physical long-term damage from physical injuries, but the regeneration and reforming process can be quite uncomfortable. As for the one that you fed the cashew apple to, that likely was just as painful if not more so, as urushiol oil lingers even under the best of circumstances, and the Diuks have a much harder time clearing toxins and contaminants from their physiology.”
“I hadn't intended to do any long-term damage,” she said truthfully. “I thought maybe he would get a little sick, throw up, and give me a chance to run away.”
“While admirable, you need not fear that they were slain as a result. Although humans could theoretically suffer enough rash and inflammation to constrict airways in the aftermath of an ingestion, that species does not respirate through inflammable passageways. Most likely they are uncomfortable in the extreme, but will survive to perform criminal activities another day.”
Mira could detect a note of disappointment that at that last statement, causing her to turn on the main cluster of Queen and Kin near her, saying half-jokingly and half-accusingly “Oh, so criminal activity is a problem now? Like that time you hacked into a port authority database to release my ship out of impound?”
For one of the first times she could recall, Queen and Kin did not reply or break into a buzz of wordless discussion, but instead went dead silent for a beat in what she could only imagine was self-conscious embarrassment, before in a more hesitant and delicate tone the swarm finally spoke.
“There were extenuating circumstances, and we stand by our assessments that the port authority was acting in a corrupt and unjust manner. However, we also can't go about applying similar liberties to everyone whose ship is facing lock-up, as that could strongly-threaten general stability and order.”
She'd had similar discussions with the hive before, and teasingly she called back to a favorite question of hers: “So it's better to have order under corruption, rather than chaos and integrity?”
There started to be a buzz of discussion again at the question, but it was abruptly silenced with the Queen and Kin speaking again. However, this time the voice was somewhat discordant compared to their normal echoing unity.
“A pertinent question, caretaker, but let us return to focus on the matter at hand, and revisit that discussion in the coming days.”
Shrugging, Mira nodded but internally chalked up a point on the invisible tally board of debates she had had with Queen and Kin. That was one thing she strongly appreciated with the new queen, as the original she had set off with from the waystation had been kindly, but also distant; willing to answer questions, but tending to avoid longer or more philosophical discussions.
Mira didn't press at the time because she was still getting used to the newness of it all, but now with the new queen she had regular discussions on morals and thoughts. Most of it was things she was learning and discussing, taught by the hive itself, but there were a few nuggets here and there that she could impart in return. Many of these concepts were ones her parents had taught to her, or that she had learned on her own when bored and cooped up in a study while they were giving lectures.
A loud clatter and clunk from one of the decks below made Mira jump, and already she could sense her frustration and embarrassment as Queen and Kin buzzed with internal discussion before addressing her in a concerned tone once more.
“Are you sure there's nothing else we can do to help? While it may be a somewhat-slow process, we do have the resources, both financially and in terms of the swarm itself, to track down where the intruders have slunk off to and…permanently ensure your safety in that regard.”
Mira groaned, rubbing her neck as she began descending a ladder to go inspect the source of the noise.
“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d feel best if we just focused on getting underway sooner rather than later.”
She hadn't had the chance to really wander around and explore the city, or the planet itself for that matter, but the market streets had proven useful to at least let her stretch her legs and walk in a straight line for more than a dozen pieces at a time, which was still appreciating nonetheless. The planet itself was also quite beautiful, rolling green and purple hills dotted with all manner of rock and gemstone formations, even if they did appear to lack any floor or fauna.
She already knew why she couldn't traipse around outside of the sealed and protective regions of the city, as she had asked Queen and Kin multiple times on their voyage here what this planet was like. The answer was that while the atmosphere was a suitably Earth-like mix to allow for breathing with no respirator or ventilator assistance, the weather was not so cooperative, and the term ‘sulfuric hurricane’ had been thrown around several times. Here and there while she had been asking around, Mira had ventured to the edges and outskirts of the city, where fully-covered walkways gave way to intermittent awnings and reinforced tarps.
Despite the clear weather, she still held back from venturing too far out, seeing numerous signs of acidic pocking and scarring along all the buildings here. The weather could apparently change at a moment’s notice, and she had no desire to get caught flat-footed and given a caustic shower, so she had refrained from further exploration in that regard.
Mira had reached the bottom of the ladder and entered into the cargo hold, where a crew was loading on the last of their shipping containers for their trek. They were basins of effectively sugar water, nutritional energy supplements for the bees in case the flowers ceased to be sufficient or some other disaster befell their primary food source. Additionally, it gave the bees something to do over a long voyage, focusing on draining the large tankers and refilling them with their own handcrafted honey.
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The thought of the voyage ahead made Mira anxious. Guepa was relatively close as far as stellar distances went, a mere half-dozen light years away but it still represented six more years that Mira would be separate from her parents, wherever they were, and If they were even still alive.
Queen and Kin had proudly showed her the stasis pod they had acquired, so she would not be required to be awake for the full voyage. Mira had enjoyed their company, but admitted to herself that the possibility of avoiding some of the long stretches of the boredom and cabin fever she had underwent during her first trip was likely worth the trade-off. The bees had also reassured her that they would awaken her should any emergency requiring her attention arise.
Still, she did feel anxious about leaving the bees alone for that long. Mira knew that, as a collective, the bees were perfectly capable of functioning without her, but they seemed to also crave human companionship to thrive, and as the final workers finished loading the reserve sugar syrup tanks and left the cargo hold, It was oddly quiet apart from the background hum of the hive as the cargo bay doors closed and latched, hissing as the bay pressurized to match the comfortable atmosphere inside of the ship.
The queen and her entourage had been supervising the installation of the storage tanks, and now came to fly over and land across Mira’s shoulders and arms. As Mira made her way up the back, towards the primary midsection of the ship with the mess hall and garden, she could feel The Apiary rumble beneath her feet, with a lurch as the ship took off. It was heading into orbit, before it would initiate a full-burn, slingshotting around the sun warming their current world, and beginning the long voyage to one of the moons that hopefully contained her parents, or at least clues as to if they were still alive and where they had been for so long.
“You are thinking about them again, are you not, caretaker?”
Mira blinked, slowly realizing she'd been coiling a strand of hair around her finger again.
“I'm not sure if this is going to end with a happy reunion, or me finding them buried in some grave, or dead in a wrecked ship and not buried at all. Space is big, and every time I think about what might have happened to them, my brain comes up with some new awful thing to fill in the gap of why they never reached out.”
The queen had climbed up onto Mira's finger, and she could see her nuzzle her finger with her fuzzy head before the swarm spoke again, but with the queen’s own voice ringing clear through it.
“Without more information, further guesses will just lead to further heartache. We go now to find information for you, and hopefully closure. Regardless of if their fate is good or ill, knowing it at least precludes further sorrow, and ensures your imagination does not torture you with hypotheticals any longer.”
Mira sighed, but knew that the queen was probably right. “It's just that not knowing is so hard,” she said.
“Well, part of this struggle may have been that on our last voyage, you had years to dwell upon possibilities and hypotheticals. Now, it shall be as if you fell asleep, and woke up at our destination. It will not prevent your mind from wandering and wondering whilst awake, but it at least reduces the opportunities for it to do so.”
Double checking in the bridge to ensure everything was functioning as normal, which of course thanks to the careful attention of the bees it was, Mira made her way down to grab a snack from the pantry: some honey-drizzled dried strawberries, and checking a few new plantings of fruit trees and other additions to the garden she had purchased from the vendor.
She'd also taken the opportunity to buy an irrigation system, little more than a timer and some small hoses to attach to the water recycling output, but it gave her something to do for a few hours, occupying her hands and mind while the bees informed her as to the appropriate watering levels for the various new plants. There were even a few exotic alien flowers they were unfamiliar with, something that excited Mira as an opportunity to show Queen and Kin something they'd never seen before.
But soon the projects dried up and Mira knew there were no other urgent tasks needing her attention before initiating her hibernation. Sitting one last time on the edge of the pod, she spoke with the queen, and the queen alone The other bees were attending either to the pod controls or other matters elsewhere through the ship. She knew she never was truly alone in speaking to just one bee from the swarm, but Mira felt a closer connection to the queen then she did for any of the countless unnamed and faceless workers and drones.
That train of thought led to a question that had been bouncing around in her mind for some time. “Queen, do you have a name other than your title.”
The queen looked up to her and then looked down, deep in thought and unresponsive for some time. After a little while Mira began to worry that she had been rude, and started to apologize when the queen buzzed in reassurance.
“No, no, it's all right. I'm not offended: It is simply a question we've seldom been asked before. Typically, if someone was asked and are told we are called ‘Queen and Kin’, no further questions are necessary or pursued.”
“Yes, but Queen and Kin is a title or a family name, I would think,” said Mira. “You're saying you don't have names individually?”
The queen seemed hesitant. *”Our life spans are short compared to humans: Why would it make sense for us to have such names, if even queens only last a scant handful of years, and the workers last only a season or two.”
Mira frowned. “That's not a good reason to not at least have some pride in who you are as a single person. You're amazing as a group, but I'd say but from what I can tell, each one of you could and should be seen as a person in your own right. Heck, humans don't live forever either, so compared to a species that lives for hundreds of years at a time, why would it make sense for humans to name ourselves either?”
The queen was silent again, but Mira could see that the queen's head was still tilted, curious as she contemplated the suggestions from the human. “I'm not saying you have to upend everything all at once,” Mira said, “But at least give it some consideration. I'd be happy to try and learn as many names as I can, just to make sure I'm not ignoring anyone who wants to be seen as more than just a part in a collective.”
The stasis pod beeped insistently, and Mira began her final preparations to engage the pod for the long trip.
“But if we are not part of a collective, what are we?” asked the queen, and Mira could tell that this was less of a question on behalf of the hive, and more of a question directly from the queen.
“That's the cool thing,” said Mira as she laid down in her stasis pod, stretching and getting a sip of water from her nearby canteen before laying back.”When you're just yourself, you can be anything you want. That's what my parents said, and that seems to ring true so far.”
The pod door started to close, but Mira’s brow furrowed, and she shot her hand out, blocking it as it beeped in annoyance at the obstruction and paused the closing procedure.
“Queen,” she said softly, “Do you have a name you would like to be known as?”
There was a pause as the queen turned, and Mira could see the insect had turned to face the distant garden. A few of the more remote and recent planters were visible around the cargo bay entrance, even though the majority of foliage was around several corners and up a flight of stairs. After a moment, the Queens spoke again, so quietly it was almost a whisper.
“I think if I were to have a name for myself, it would be that of my favorite flower from amongst the new ones you acquired and planted for us.”
Mira smiled as she knew exactly which one she was referring to, the queen having delighted in it ever since she had first smelled the distinct aroma. Laying back in her stasis pot she said “Good choice. Good night, Rose.” Then the pods sealed shut, a film of ice and a crackle of energy surging through as the human was put into suspended animation.
Landing gently atop the pod, Rose looked through the glass at the sleeping human within. “Goodbye, Mira.”