Most of the Klikiss had moved back into their ancient city, as if nothing had changed in millennia. One huge Klikiss, with a silvery exoskeleton adorned with black tiger stripes, had an extra pair of segmented legs, a carapace full of spikes and polished knobs, and several sets of faceted eyes. Its head/face was ovoid, composed of many small plates that shifted and moved, almost giving it expressions. This one seemed much… vaster somehow, more important and ominous than the others. Orli stared, her eyes wide.

'That is one of the eight domates that attend the breedex,' Margaret said. 'They provide additional genetic material necessary for spreading the hive.'

'Will I see the breedex myself?'

The older woman flinched. 'Hope you do not. It is very risky.'

'Did you ever see her - it, I mean?'

'Many times. It is how I survived.' She offered nothing more.

'So it can't be that risky.'

'It is.'

They passed by EDF barracks built among the alien towers. The soldiers were pale and frightened, their uniforms rumpled and stained. These Eddies - stationed here with instructions to 'protect the colonists' and guard the transportal so the Roamer detainees didn't escape - could now do little more than watch the invasion, as helpless as the colonists they were supposed to safeguard.

Orli was surprised to see that the Klikiss had not disarmed the troops. 'Why do the soldiers still have their guns?'

'The Klikiss don't care.'

Without asking permission or making any gesture to acknowledge what they were doing, the Klikiss workers began to tear down the modular barracks, ripping open the walls with their armoured claws.

The edgy EDF soldiers began shouting. 'Wait a minute!' Some of them pushed forward. 'At least let us get our stuff out first.'

The bustling insects diligently continued their tasks, paying no more attention to the distraught men than they would to ornamental rocks.

Bolstered by their fellows, several soldiers ran toward the barracks. 'Stop! Hold on!'

Klikiss workers tore one section into scrap metal, strewing dismantled bunks, storage units, clothing, and supplies around like garbage. The nearest EDF soldier got in the way of an insectile demolitionist and raised his pulse jazer rifle. 'Back off, bugs! I'm warning you--'

The Klikiss swung a segmented limb, decapitated the man, and returned to its labours before the corpse fell to the ground. Outraged, nine uniformed soldiers screamed, took aim with their high-powered rifles, and started shooting.

Margaret groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. 'This will turn out badly.'

'Isn't there something you can do?' Orli cried.

'Not a thing.'

As projectiles slammed into them, the insect creatures didn't comprehend what was happening. Despite the weapons fire cutting them down, workers continued to destroy lockers full of clothing, equipment, scrapbooks of friends and family.