Keep everyone where they are move down the hallway and start venting the hallway with your wings. You might be able to disperse the smell enough to discover the source.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/14(Wed)21:32 No. 65009 ID: d1210a
File 125558117569.jpg - (88.42KB , 800x549 , Ant In Chamber.jpg )

>>64995
KILLER QUEEN orders the ant back into the chamber until she can clear out the smell, >>64996 perhaps by once more using her wings.

The ant return to the chamber without any complaint, joining it's brethren.

KILLER QUEEN is now ready to try to air out the room, but is unsure how to go about it, what with the chamber being fairly massive and there being but the one, relatively narrow tunnel for air to flow through.

What should KILLER QUEEN do?

Man, I just wanna have Wings of Destiny come in and gas the whole room. All this crowd control would be easier if everybody else was knocked out.

>>65009
Well... I guess... Make another exit tunnel, instructing a few Merciless to stand where it emerges, and not to allow anything to exit it. Then continue to vent it via wing power, and after the smell stops continue the individual inspection strategy.

>>65019
Making such an exit tunnel, one that did not intersect any existing tunnels or chambers, would take a large amount of time, and would mean putting KILLER QUEEN's quest on hold until completed.

>>65017
This could be done very easily. Wings Of Destiny is still at Crescent, ready to assist. She has been waiting while Scars Of Yesterday and some ants have been communicating with Burn Crazy The Hellion, with the original intent to make a flight to Toxic's location with Scars.

What should KILLER QUEEN do?

Lets try gassing the room first. Maybe the haze will have some effect.

>>65034
Gas the crap out of the room and use it as an opportunity to get inexplicably cranky at Wings of Destiny a bit for not being the perfect subservient ant.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/15(Thu)14:29 No. 65149 ID: d1210a
File 125564218391.jpg - (100.49KB , 800x550 , Ant Pleading.jpg )

>>65035
>>65095
KILLER QUEEN summons Wings of Destiny to the location while keeping the chamber tightly sealed, the occupants motionless.

...It seems to take Wings Of Destiny longer than is absolutely necessary to make her way to her queen.

"What took you so long? Your presence was commanded immediately."
"Wh-what?! Oh, oh, um, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Somehow, watching Wings Of Destiny nearly melt in shame and confusion made KILLER QUEEN feel somewhat more at ease. Strange. Even stranger, KILLER QUEEN can feel some sort of.... kinship towards Wings Of Destiny, that there is something the two of them share. Hm, could this be the perception of Valiance that Scars Of Yesterday mentioned? The scarlet, jade and golden KILLER QUEEN spends a moment appraising the golden ant before her.

Hmm. Perhaps it is to be expected, since Wings Of Destiny has not been within Crescent since gaining sapience, that she take some time to navigate her way through.

Enough. The smell must be tracked down, and the source identified.

Wings Of Destiny is ordered to employ her Valiance, Purple Haze, to impair and disable the occupants of the chamber, to make the objective of finding the source of the smell easier to achieve.

......

......

......

The ants are starting to waver on their feet as they try to remain standing as ordered, but their movements are feeble, sluggish. One of the ants irks out a feeble message to her queen.

"....Glorious mother/god, we will die soon, if this continues."


What should KILLER QUEEN do?

>>65149
Evacuate everyone but the TMBGs to block the door, Wings and KQ.
I'm assuming KQ isn't as affected, the TMBGs will serve to block the doorway even if they die (the effort wasted is regrettable, but catching an invisible intruder is more important) and Wings is presumably immune to the effects?
In any case, have KQ and Wings search the room.

>>65150
Problem: The scent still permeates the chamber, and with it so pervasive, any attempt to discern if any given ant is the source of the smell will likely fail.

As such, the only way to evacuate the chamber is to do so without being able to check those evacuated.

KILLER QUEEN and Wings Of Destiny, both still outside the chamber itself, are completely outside of the path that the Purple Haze follows.

Some of the ants are beginning to slump to the ground from the effects of Purple Haze. Only a few ants, the one that addressed her among them, are still standing tall, their bodies barely trembling.


What should KILLER QUEEN do?

Remove all the nonmoving ants from the chamber to one with fresh air so they can be identified as smelly or not. As more slump over, continue the process with them.

>>65164
KILLER QUEEN will not relent. This scent is too puzzling, too enthralling, to be dropped so idly.

However, a plan occurs to her. If she were to have any ant that collapses brought out to the next chamber to get aired out and allowed to recover, she could simultaneously check them for whether they are the source of the smell.

But how to ensure that the source of the scent, whatever it may be, does not escape while her attention is elsewhere? This will have to be done slowly and carefully.

.....

.....

.....

As time passes and Wings Of Destiny continues to flood the room with Purple Haze while KILLER QUEEN personally oversees each ant removed from the chamber, inspecting them and their relation to the odor. So far, no luck.

Enough time has passed that only a scant few ants are left still upright in the room: only a bare handful can even claim to still be standing, three The Merciless, the fifth Flash, and one Fat Bottomed Girl, one of only two of the original 24 to still be standing.

!!NOTICE:!! The scent seems to be getting stronger!


What should KILLER QUEEN do?

Unless you are about to have piles of dead ants everywhere we should keep going. Keep a eye on the ants still standing. If one of them is the source then they might be sturdier than the rest.

>>65167
Cut to the chase. Inspect the loudmouthed one.

>>65173
>>65167
i agree with this

>>65173
>>65167
i agree with this

>>65167
HEY HEY WHOA WAIT WE HAVE AN EXTRA FLASH.

I'm a goddamn idiot for not noticing this sooner.

>>64886
>KILLER QUEEN orders 30 The Merciless, 42 Fat Bottomed Girls and 4 Flash to converge on her location

>>64944
>And so the 30 The Merciless, 24 Fat Bottomed Girls and 5 Flash in the room

(We also went from 42 FBGs to 24 FBGs, but that's a bit less significant - I assume that's either quest author error or just that the extra FBGs were left outside in sealing the chamber off.)

Anyways. THAT FLASH IS A SPY. Or something. Make sure you block the hell out of its escape as you confront it. This thing is tricky as hell to be able to blend in like it does, and it already understands the hive dynamics enough.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/16(Fri)09:41 No. 65282 ID: d1210a
File 125571128814.jpg - (95.99KB , 800x551 , Ant Suspected 1.jpg )

>>65170
Hopefully, the source of the smell is sturdy enough to stand out during this testing process.

>>65238
....wait. KILLER QUEEN came to hunt down this scent with only 4 Flash: How did the number swell to 5? And only one flash is still standing, the other 4 already having collapsed, been tested, and been removed.

>>65173
>>65176
KILLER QUEEN orders the chamber to remain blocked as she orders Wings Of Destiny to cease spreading Purple Haze. As the powdery dust slowly begins to settle to the ground, another The Merciless collapses, and is brought before her. It is quickly checked, found clean of the odor, and is carried to the next chamber to recuperate.

As the ants that brought her the recently collapsed ants are still standing nearby, KILLER QUEEN orders them to surround the remaining 4 ants still standing after prolonged exposure to Purple Haze.

...now that she looks more closely at the suspected ant, KILLER QUEEN notices that the ant in question is of an entirely different strain than any of her own children. Why could no one recognize this until now?


KILLER QUEEN get ready to address the accused ant. What should she say?

>>65282
Just glare and keep pumping.

>>65282
Shame there's no hive mind yet, otherwise we'd know about the other colony of intelligent ants.

No nonsense, no chance for bullshit. Look menacing. "Explain yourself."

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/16(Fri)12:22 No. 65326 ID: d1210a
File 125572090696.jpg - (65.39KB , 479x600 , Ant Suspected 2.jpg )

>>65304
>>65283
KILLER QUEEN is fairly certain she knows what the source of the scent is, and moves to address it.

"You are not one of my children. Explain your presence here, immediately. And if you plan to continue this charade, pretending to be one of my ants, this room will continue being pumped full of poison, until such time that you die."

The other ants, Wings Of Destiny among them, look at KILLER QUEEN strangely. Odd, that they should do so even after the invader is revealed. How is it they still cannot perceive it?

After a long moment of inaction, KILLER QUEEN prepares to order Wings Of Destiny to continue gassing the room, when the ant finally addresses them.

"........Okay, you win, I admit it, I'm not one of your children, just.... don't spread any more of that dust in here, alright? Look, I was just passing by the area, saw some other ants, and decided to follow them for a free meal. All I did was take a bit of excess food, that's it. .....But how did you find me?"

Strange. Despite being identified and trapped, the ant does not have even the barest trace of fear or uncertainty in it's scent, only confusion and amusement. Why is it so calm?


What should KILLER QUEEN do/say?

>>65326
You doubt that I would know my children?
Who are you, what are you, and how did you fool my offspring?

Explain that how we discovered it should be obvious by now. Ask it more about its colony and why its all alone sneaking around our nest.

>>65326
"You smell... delicious. Tell me why I shouldn't eat you, strange ant."

it isn't an ant. Eat it

>>65332
"You doubt that I would know my children?"
>>65337
"The reason you were discovered should be obvious. Now tell me, little one, what colony are you from, and why are you alone in mine? What masks you from my offspring?"
>>65356
>>65422
"Oh... and you smell... delicious. Also tell me why I shouldn't eat you, strange ant."

"...huh. Guess you are one of her daughters, then. ....Look, I don't have a colony, not really. I come... no, I guess I came from a small nomadic collective to the north. I'm here because I need food, and I have a somewhat... restrictive diet. Your colony has food I require.

....As to why your brood cannot discern me, a far better question is why can you? I have become rather adept at my craft, and that you pierced my veil puzzles me."

!!NOTICE:!! The 7 They Might Be Giants blockading the chamber have now entered the room, and are holding an aggressive stance towards KILLER QUEEN while being unresponsive to orders! They are also blocking any other ants from joining KILLER QUEEN, Wings Of Destiny and the attending Death On Six Legs inside the chamber!

"....And lastly, as for why you should not eat me, well, I believe that should be self apparent."


What should KILLER QUEEN say/do?

>>65511
Are the non-mindless-drones still responsive?
(assuming yes)
Spit poison in the faces of those who stand with the creature. Make the strike quick and decisive. No threats shall be made against you inside your own home. You are in charge here.

Wings: Now is your chance to show KILLER QUEEN that you are an asset. Despite your uncertainty and awkwardness around her, you are a champion of the Fight Song. You are smarter and more powerful than any of your sisters. Bull rush the intruder, like Metallica would.

>>65511
First, ask how he knows Killer Queen's mother. If he is a friend of hers, his survival might yet be possible.

Second, inform him that if he wishes to leave alive, an attack on the queen of a colony is not going to get him anywhere. In fact, the mindless Giants will not even be able to reach the Queen so long as she can fly, and there are more than enough D6L to take him out even without assistance from the outside. Assistance that would surely overwhelm even the mighty Giants. Besides, once he's dead... would the Giants even remain hostile?

Still, casualties would be enevitable, and both D6L and TMBG are difficult to replace. Perhaps an arrangement can be met. We could employ him. In exchange for food, he can work as a scout for us.

If you wanted food and answers you should have come to us openly. Stealing from someone and threatening them in there home is not a way to make friends. Stand down or die.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/17(Sat)17:09 No. 65751 ID: d1210a
File 125582457072.png - (16.98KB , 832x638 , Invader Status.png )

>>65528
>>65533
KILLER QUEEN starts sending out messages to the Death On Six Legs and Wings Of Destiny, but the ants around her don't seem to respond, despite still holding defensive stances around her to guard her.

...And now that she thinks about it, She is still the only one that can even perceive the invader. Unless she can dispel whatever effects are barring both her children from perceiving the invader as well as manipulating the mindless They Might Be Giants (and likely interfering with her messages to her own children), this conflict will be rather difficult to handle.

"How do you know of mine mother, invader?"

"Hah, no chance. If you want me to answer questions, then you have to answer mine. I may not be in the best of positions, but I am by no means without the ability to make this conflict difficult for you. What do you say?"

>>65543
>>65533
Hmm. If this situation could be settled peaceably, this ant's ability, however it may work, would likely be immensely useful. Still, the ant is being particularly helpful, and has bee stealing from under KILLER QUEEN's antenna.


What should KILLER QUEEN say/do? (refer to picture for rough placement of ants)

>>65751
(And Death On Six Legs are the bright red dots)

I can smell you. I can see you. Without knowing how you are hiding yourself from my children how am I supposed to answer your question. You ask how I can detect you? I just can.

After telling him that ask what Wings sees when she looks at this ant.

>>65751
Tell him you first figured out which ant he was by noting that there were too many Flash present. Then a closer examination revealed his true form. Also, his smell was detected after eating of a special corpse. Now, get him to answer our question.

>>65764
Yeah, pretty much. "I can smell you, I can see you, I can hear you. What else can there be to perception? Your form is similar to my brood, and your scent pervades the colony with a density that makes you hard to pinpoint, but always I perceive your presence. Here you stand, and I simply know that you are not mine. Are you yourself aware of how your skill functions?"

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/17(Sat)18:47 No. 65809 ID: d1210a
File 125583042470.jpg - (35.09KB , 800x533 , Ant Suspected 4.jpg )

>>65771
KILLER QUEEN responds quickly, her INTELLIGENCE letting her realize that by agreeing, she answers a question, thus getting a free answer from the invader.

"I accept your proposal. Now, since I answered your first question, tell me: How and what do you know of mine mother, vagabond?"

"....Well, I did say a question for a question: So be it. I have heard of your mother only through another of her daughters, Running Wild. Now, tell me: Why can you detect me?"

>>65764
As KILLER QUEEN prepares to answer, she taps Wings Of Destiny on the side, and after gaining her attention, directly yet lightly communicates to her.

"Tell me, what do you see, when looking at the ant before us?"
"Umm.... which one? There's the four ants we have surrounded for you.... which I don't really understand. ....Um, if you don't mind me asking, why... why are the They Might Be Giants doing this? ...I don't want to fight them...."

For the moment, KILLER QUEEN leaves Wings Of Destiny in her state of reluctant confusion, as she responds to the invader's question, mind racing. But this line of might lead to this debacle becoming less disadvantageous.

>>65778
"...I am not sure how to answer, without first knowing why I shouldn't be able to perceive you. I can smell you, I can see you, that is all I know currently."

"....Hmph. Well, if you want that knowledge, you will have to answer another question. I know this to be Crescent, the colony that Scars Of Yesterday is from. I know about your dislike of the Mandarinian Empire. I ask you this: How do you plan to oppose them? Their numbers are great, and their warriors formidable."


How should KILLER QUEEN respond?

At the moment we plan on building our forces and learning more about our surroundings before directly dealing with the empire. They do know we exist so we will stay hidden as best we can for now.

>>65809
Destroying the Mandarinian Empire is a stepping stone along our path, not goal itself. Current plan, subject to change as we learn more about the world: Build up a power base by expanding our holdings, gathering information and resources wherever they can be found, and collecting allies to integrate into our own budding empire. They are formidable, but we have proven that we can stand against them, especially when they underestimate us, so we will not let them know our full strength until we find a place to strike.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/17(Sat)19:36 No. 65831 ID: d1210a
File 125583337696.jpg - (36.49KB , 800x534 , Ant Suspected 5.jpg )

>>65819
>>65822
KILLER QUEEN answers the invader's new question, so as to learn more about the creature's talent.

"For now, my empire's goal is to grow, become more formidable and with greater resources to draw on, to establish alliances as necessary, until such time my Empire Of Cydonia become powerful enough to openly crush and consume the Mandarinian Empire. They know of our existence, but for now, we are still free to grow and advance in preparation. Now, tell me: how is it you deceive others?"

".........Fine. My hive specializes....specialized....in pheromone communication, encryption, masking, mimicry and the like. I happen to be one of those more adept at this craft. Now then.... the golden legged daughter of yours, that regrew lost limbs: She could have grown into a powerful hero, a Knight of Cydonia with Valiance of her own, serving in your name. Why, then, did you instead eat her?"


How should KILLER QUEEN respond?

>>65831
She could not think for herself. All other ants with special abilities were able to do so. She had gained her legs from eating of the strange roots of the yellow flowers, and there was no indication that she would continue to develop in any way. Knowing what you say now, perhaps it was rash in eating her... but now, her budding power serves her Queen directly.

>>65835
(and what question should she ask back? Or should she take another action?)

"You say specialized and mention another daughter of my mother's, one, "Running Wild." I am left to assume that your colony is gone. Were you of her colony or were you vanquished by it?"

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2009/10/17(Sat)20:21 No. 65849 ID: d1210a
File 125583610558.jpg - (186.37KB , 800x563 , Death On Six Legs Listening.jpg )

>>65835
KILLER QUEEN pauses for a moment before carefully replying.

"She could not think of herself as an individual. All other ants with special abilities were able to do so. She had gained her legs from eating of the strange roots of the yellow flowers, and there was no indication that she would continue to develop in any way, as her strange adaptation did not transform into a Valiance until I consumed her. Knowing what you say now, perhaps it was rash in eating her... but now, her budding power serves her Queen directly."

Wings Of Destiny is starting to look at KILLER QUEEN in a puzzled manner.
"..U-um.. who are you talking to?"

Several of the more nearby Death On Six Legs swivel an antenna more closely to their queen, still guarding her from the errant They Might Be Giants while listening in.


How should KILLER QUEEN answer Wings Of Destiny?

>>65840
"You say specialized and mention another daughter of my mother's, one, "Running Wild." I am left to assume that your colony is gone. Were you of her colony or were you vanquished by it?"

The invader takes a long time to respond, and anger appears in it's scent.

".......destroyed, by her and her progeny........"

A long moment passes as the invader remains unresponsive. For a moment, KILLER QUEEN toys with the idea the invader is refusing to continue with the question-answer exchange, before new messages fill the air.

".....Would you accept my service, if the price were you must kill your sister and her colony? If you accept, I don't really care what you need me to do, I'll do it."


How should KILLER QUEEN respond?

>>65849
Tell Wings of Destiny we're speaking to a visitor from another colony, and she can't hear it because of its power.

Before we accept this agreement, ask how Running Wild managed this feat, and why she did it in the first place.

>>65849
Eh. Depends on if we can get the alliance of our sister. If every one of your siblings produces a nest like our own and we can ally, holy shit no.

>>65849

give the ant equivalent of a sigh and ask if the stranger would be willing to stop confusing the others for a moment.

I am reluctant to destroy a potentially friendly colony to gain the service of one sneaky, food stealing ant, no matter how skilled she may be. (and despite how much fun attacking a rival ant colony sounds) However, it is quite possible that our sister would prove unreceptive to friendly relations for one reason or another, in which case, hey, she probably needs to die anyway. We should ask for directions and send a small envoy of Flash to recon and potentially attempt communication.

(in before these are the mindless ants to the southwest)

>>65868
Ants are territorial. They probably wouldn't hesitate to kill a queen sibling or its progeny if it entered their territory. If she's still not very intelligent, more instinctual, she won't hesitate to kill us. I suspect this to be the reason she destroyed the colony of the ant we're questioning.

I propose saying something to the effect of, "I will not go out of my way to destroy another of my mother's line but, should she invade upon my territory and refuse to ally with me, I shall crush her without question."

Then attempting to get the secrets of masking pheromones out of this ant as pay for its protection in the interim.

>>65872
KILLER QUEEN exudes an exasperated scent, shaking her head.

"....Can you at least let my children perceive you? I will continue to speak with you, but I can't answer your question. >>65868 I will not commit myself or my empire without knowing more."

The invader seems unwilling to accept this, and refuses to continue the dialogue.


>>65865
KILLER QUEEN turns her head aside to speak with Wings Of Destiny for a brief moment.

"There is a visitor inside the hive, who is rather.... capable of going unnoticed. Until they allow it, it seems I am the only one who can notice it."

Wings Of Destiny seems uncertain, but accepts the response. KILLER QUEEN turns back to the invader.

"At the very least, if I knew how my sister Running Wild destroyed a hive of such... subtle ants, and why."

"Insufficient."

....This ant is rather stubborn, and seems almost.... resigned, to this ending in violence, for why else would it reject such amenable compromises.

>>65877
Hmm... there is no guarantee that KILLER QUEEN would not have to contend with her sister. After all, her memories of their mother are.... strangely faded, lackluster. KILLER QUEEN does not even remember other sisters going out to start their own colonies.... or really anything detailed before she left her mother's colony. Strange.
.............
.............
Enough arbitrary postulation. ...But still, there might be something to this. Another time.

"...Perhaps if you were to tell us more of how you manipulate pheromones, I could protect you from my sister. I would not go out of my way to destroy another of my mother's line but, should she invade upon my territory and refuse to ally with me, I shall crush her without question."

"Preposterous, I would never be associated with or aid an ally of hers. But....I will tell you of Running Wild and her sack of my home, if you let us move to another room, away from that powder your daughter spread about. ...I will not, however, reveal myself, or relinquish control of your drones. I have not forgotten that without such a veil and assistance, I am a far smaller threat to you and yours, and I will not abandon a position of strength in such an uncertain position. Until such time you answer my last question decisively, I will remain hidden and retain command of your ...less mentally acute children. If this is unacceptable, then that, I think, would be the end of this moment of communication."

...it is fairly likely that if KILLER QUEEN does not accept this proposal, that this will come to violence. And to be honest, the invader still exudes a delicious scent, one that seems to have changed somewhat, grown.... richer. KILLER QUEEN would not object to eating it. ....But the knowledge and assistance this ant could offer is not to be underestimated.


How should KILLER QUEEN respond?
(This will be done by general consensus, so post whatever views/thoughts you have on the choice, but please only vote once.)

>>65922
I say we accept this proposal. Its stealing from the colony seems less offensive after hearing their story. Also the collapsed ants can be taken to another room once we move... and tactically moving to another room might actually be better for us. More TMBG would have to be used to block entrances, and unless the Purple Haze is unusually crippling for this ant they won't much of an advantage.

I think its worth it to get as much info as possible out of this guy. We can decide to ally or eat him later. Also will give us a chance to equip our giants with tinfoil hats.

>>65952
Agreed.