Page 54 of Queen Isabella

Isa studied the missile, desperate for a solution. She didn’t have all the hazard symbols memorized but she knew the red concentric circles painted on the side of the weapon meant it was nasty. Then something Reina said before they boarded the Manifest flashed like a beacon in her mind.

Chemical weapon!Reina was accused of stealing awful chemicals from Intech even though she was a programmer. Intech was one of those technology companies the government used, known for their less than ethical business practices. Whether Reina realized it or not, she probably saw something about the poison while at work and the government sent her to Tellus to get rid of her.

Even if this wasn’t related to what Reina said, the missile had to be some sort of chemical agent. The hazard symbol wasn’t the radiation or explosive symbol. As stupid as she believed her people were, it didn’t make sense to blow up or irradiate their future home. Chemical or viral weapons could be targeted to just kill the Vorto and not ruin the environment.

“The Blight!” Isa gasped as something else occurred to her. If her people were trying to kill the Vorto now, maybe they’d done it before. Maybe the probes that found this planet weren't just probes. “Oh god!”

Artifex

Artifex couldn’t fathom what sort of weapon had the destructive power to reach all the way back to the hive. The Vorto possessed no such thing, blades, bows, and javelins, yes, but nothing that could level a mountain. And yet, there was something familiar about the weapon. He just couldn’t place it. His brow furrowed as he stared at the terrible object.

Queen Isa’s declaration instantly jogged his memory.

The Blight!That was it!

“I thought I recognized this weapon from somewhere.” Artifex pointed accusingly at the elongated cylinder. “In the archives about the Blight, there are images of things like this. They showed up at the same time as the horrible plague.”

Isa looked at him with horror and he stopped explaining. She leapt to her feet and ran, pushing through the omegas. The instant she cleared everyone, she bent and started gagging, spewing fluid on the ground.

“My queen!” he raced to her side, and was swiftly joined by the others.

“They really did it!” Isa choked, dispelling more fluid, while rain fell from her eyes.

Horror filled Artifex at how sick she was, and he wrapped an arm around her. It was true! This terrible weapon carried the Blight, and their queen was getting ill already.

“PleaseInana,” he begged, his world folding in on him.

“What is happening?” Bellator demanded, confusion and devastation etched on his face.

“Why is Queen Isa ill?” Fear swam in Phara’s eyes.

“The weapon gave her the Blight.” Artifex’s mind stuttered as he conveyed the terrible news.

“No!” Phara dropped to his knees.

Seeing his brethren collapse hurt nearly as much as seeing their queen getting sick.

“What?!” Isa looked up at them. “No! I don’t have the Blight.” She used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth.

“You said Blight, and I thought…” Artifex grimaced, hating he’d jumped to conclusions.

“I put off the detonation, so it’s not spreading anything yet. But I do think the missile is carrying the Blight. I got sick because I can’t believe my people would do this, and I don’t know how to permanently stop it.” More rain fell from her eyes as she angrily shook her head.

Artifex pulled their queen into his arms. Phara stood and joined them, along with Bellator.

“They murdered your people and I think they’re trying to finish the job,” Isa sobbed as they hugged her. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

The way his queen trembled in his arms, murmuring how sorry she was gutted him. She was not at fault for this, her hive was. Except there wasn’t time for anger at her hive. They needed to find a way to stop this weapon or lose everything.

“Theignivo!” The thought burst forth in Artifex’s mind.

The stories passed down over the generations said that the Tumulus Hive gained status during the Blight because their territory held the means of destroying anything. The archives supported the tales. He’d even visited theignivomore than once. It could take care of this weapon.

“Except, it takes a rotation just to fly there, and Isa said we won’t even make it back to the hive before the weapon erupts,” Bellator reminded him with a grimace, and Artifex’s hopes instantly sank.

“What are you talking about?” Queen Isa looked up at them.

“Theignivo. We were told that is where these Blight weapons were disposed of. But we’d never make it there in time,” Artifex explained. “The same as generations ago,” he added with a morose sigh.

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