Page 46 of Queen Isabella

Isa was drawn to a nearby bank of shelves. She picked up one of the particularly lovely ceramic cups to examine the colorful floral pattern.

A blue copper-based glaze,she noted the primary color used on the handleless vessel, and recalled seeing similar on some ancient Egyptian pieces.

The cup sat amidst a variety of colorful ceramic plates, jugs, and tableware. There were also carved wooden goods for the kitchen or dining table in this section of the cavern. Her gaze panned down the wall of shelves, noting all manner of things from blankets to tools. On the other side of the room were a dozen evenly spaced work benches, each with a variety of tools. Not all the benches were the same, or had the same equipment. Obviously, they were geared toward the different trades that it took to make the goods on the shelves.

“So, this is the craft and storage room,” she commented to Artifex as she set the cup down.

“It is. We are also able to bake clay goods and form metal in the forges through there.” Artifex pointed to a room branching off. “We generally only fire up the forge in the cold season.”

“Because of the cold?” Isa tilted her head in confusion. That shouldn’t be the reason, since caves tend to stay temperate all year round.

“Our craftsmen are usually performing agricultural duties and taking advantage of the warm season,” Artifex explained.

“The forges do warm the legionnaire quarters which are near the surface and can get cold at that time of orbit,” Bellator added.

“Ah.” She nodded.

They continued onward through the hive and Isa’s head was on a swivel taking everything in. The Vorto were a fascinating culture. They were like humans during the iron age, somewhat primitive, yet they had technology like therefectio,which was more advanced than the healing equipment her people had on Earth when she left. It was totally captivating. She was having fun looking for combinations of advanced and primitive features as she toured with her men.

“What do you think of the hive?” Phara asked as they continued to another section.

“It’s amazing.” She leaned her head against Phara’s arm. “The talent and ingenuity that it took to create all of this is astounding. I’m very glad this isn’t a plain old cave, that you have running water, lighting, and heat when it’s needed,” she admitted with an emphatic nod.

“Yes, those things are nice,” Artifex chuckled.

“Here we are at the chrysalis chamber.” Bellator stopped at a pair of doors.

“We’re going to show you the chamber, but it's best to not go inside.” Phara cringed.

Her brow furrowed at his expression.

“We don’t know if your hormones will force the amnio sacs to mature. We think it’s best if the next generation doesn’t emerge yet,” Artifex hesitantly explained.

She instantly understood. The alphas didn’t know what the future held, if she was compatible with them or not. They still needed to hold off on waking the future generations as if nothing had changed.

“No, I get it.” She squeezed Artifex and Phara’s hands sympathetically. “Let’s not disturb anything.”

“We can open the port a bit. That should be fine.” Artifex cracked the door.

Isa peered inside the cavern and her mouth dropped open as her gaze rose up, up, up, then panned way down again. Ten stories of honeycomb compartments were connected by a spiral staircase in the towering room. Out of the thousands of cubbies in the chamber, only a few hundred niches directly in front of her contained the purple sacks which reminded her of basketball-sized butterfly cocoons.

Those are amnio sacs.She recalled them being mentioned but had no concept of what they were.

She gaped in awe at the spheres that held Vorto fetuses in them. Maybe she was right about the Vorto being similar toinsects. In fact, caterpillars turned into goo inside their cocoons before transforming into butterflies, the way the Vorto could shift from their humanoid shape into the flux or plasm form.

Isa pulled back. “So, what happens when the babies are born, I mean emerge from those sacks? I’m picturing the little guys plopping out of the cubicles and falling over the balconies,” she worriedly asked.

The alphas and several of the other Vorto laughed.

“That happens,” Artifex chuckled.

“Usually, it’s the sign of a hatchling legionnaire,” Bellator snorted.

“That’s awful!” She gaped at them. “That’s a several story drop.”

“Don’t let them tease you.” Phara rubbed her shoulder.

“Hatchlings are in their flux form when they emerge,” Gregis reminded her.

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