What it means to be a queen

The newly appointed security officer looked at the chief scientist for a moment before rolling her shoulders, the twin scythe-like limbs making a rustling sound as they shifted on her back. “Very well, captain’k. I believe Meli’a will explain the general situation the best’k. Then I can explain what is happening now’k.” With that, she settled back, leaving Meli staring at the ceiling for a moment before the Velca woman began her explanation. “The Vex’ess are an interesting species, li’ah’a. They are insectoid and live in hives, but unlike most species with that configuration do not have a true overmind as such. They do however have some interesting genetic quirks, one of which being the evolution we have witnessed with Yril’k. It’s a little more complicated when a queen evolves or devolves as you saw; part of the organ they have for pushing evolution on others needs to be removed before they can undergo the change, hence why the overqueen stabbed Trea’k.”

Dustin nodded, gesturing for his lover to continue. “Then we come to their reproductive tendencies. Vex’ess have a reputation for being umm…” Rye cut in with a snort as Meli searched for the right word. “Just say they’re breeding fetishists and move on nerd. Besides, if she’s willingly taken those restrictions on her relations with Dusty she’s clearly just as weird as we all are.” Meli sighed and nodded. “As our love so eloquently put it, Vex’ess have a reputation. It’s a bit like the Feliax in that regard; how they are with each other is very different from how they are with other species as I understand it - something to do with the nature of their queen phenotype versus their envoy phenotype?” At this she glanced at Yril’k.

The insect woman fidgeted slightly before nodding. “The main difference is in the offspring’k. Queens have many offspring made from genetic templates’k. They do not need a mate’k, and breed what the hive needs in numbers’k. Envoys can do the same of course’k - but their evolution allows for hybrids’k as they sift for what genes will improve the greater hive’k.” Dustin looked at the pair of women and sighed. “So what you’re saying is that queens reproduce asexually using basically the same method they use to promote people, while envoys also procreate with the species they are assigned to? And rather proactively if the reputation is to be believed?”

Meli and Yril’k glanced at one another for a moment before nodding. “That is correct, captain’k. It is not just a matter of being proactive however’k. Their kind - queens and envoys - are normally driven to reproduce for the hive’k. It is a near-constant need’k.” The insect woman said, before Meli added “it’s worth noting that the amount of offspring is wildly different. A queen might have tens or even hundreds of eggs in a clutch and multiple clutches within a month or year, while an envoy may only have a single live birth in a decade depending on the species involved. In the case of humans, it’d probably be slightly higher numbers of offspring and slightly faster than is natural for you - twins or triplets after about six months most likely if I am remembering a paper I read on the subject correctly.” The fact that Meli had read papers on prospective pregnancy stats for insect-human hybrids didn’t surprise Dustin by this point; his species remained her favourite research topic after all.

“Alright, so that explains most of the background; in normal circumstances we’d have an envoy that’d do the do with me and start popping out kids in half a year or so. Obviously, given the overqueen’s stipulations Trea’k knows she’d need to take a contraceptive. She commented that she would be envoy even if she never had a clutch - from the sounds of things that’s more than a pretty big deal. So, what else is there Yril’k? What did the overqueen mean?” The security officer sighed, her mandibles rubbing together as she did so. “I do not wish to speak of my queen’s views’k. That is for her to discuss with you’k. But it is the nature of an envoy to want to be close to the species they are assigned to’k. There is a sharing of genetics during the evolution that is usual’k.” Then she glanced at the pod on it’s grav sled. “In a day or two’k, she will enter the second phase’k. At that time, the pod will shift to allow her to take in supplies’k.”

The insect woman paused for a moment then gestured to her captain. “If you supply her with your blood her form will change accordingly’k - it will increase compatibility’k. If you do not’k then she will emerge closer to what I was before my promotion’k. Unstructured’k. It is your choice to make’k as the representative of your species’k.” Dustin glanced from her to the cocoon and asked the obvious question. “What’s the impact on Trea’k of the two options?” Yril’k shook her head. “Apologies, captain’k but before I answer there is more that you should know’k. After she has finished her transition’k, there will be a period of adjustment’k. The change to envoy is a lot to take in mentally’k. During the time after she emerges, what she does is important’k.”

Dustin waited for more explanation, but as nothing was forthcoming after a moment he shrugged. “What’s your advice, security officer? What do you think is best for Trea’k?” Yril’k looked at him oddly, seemingly a little stunned that he was interested in what she thought. Emely interrupted at that point. “You’ll get used to the captain, Yril’k. He cares a lot for all of us as crew. It’s not just because the three of us are in a relationship with him.” The queensguard nodded thoughtfully at that before replying to Dustin’s question. “I believe you should give her your blood captain’k. It is traditional, and what she will expect’k. She might take being left unsupplied as an indication’k you do not trust her’k; given her feelings about losing her hive’k that…”

The Vex’ess trailed off, but Dustin had got the message. Leaving Trea’k without whatever changes his DNA would apply might hook in to her feelings of inadequacy. “That’s a fair observation. And what about after she emerges from the cocoon?” Yril’k flexed and unflexed her hands for a moment before she looked up at him. “Selfishly, captain’k I request that she spends time with all of us’k - and even if you desire her you do nothing physical until she has adjusted’k. My queen once told me that she would not have a clutch until she was sure they would be safe’k. This is folly, the life of a drone is never safe’k, but that love for everyone’k in her hive is why I am so dedicated to her’k. The more she is with a single person’k or the more she mates’k in the period right after awakening’k the more of that might vanish’k…” Yril’k’s voice was running faster, her mandibles clicking more and more as she grew visibly upset. Dustin raised a hand to stop her.

“The amount of time she spends alone with any one person coupled with any intimacy from me will influence how seriously focused on reproduction she becomes compared to what she was before, am I understanding this correctly? Yril’k, I appreciate your advice; I’m not out to make Trea’k obsessive over me. Regardless of anything else though, my relationship isn’t mine alone to add people to. Meli, Rye, Emely, your thoughts? I’ll try to keep her at arms length as much as I can given she’s an envoy and not invite her to join all of us if you don’t agree with the idea.” His initial words seemed to settle the Vex’ess woman somewhat as he turned to glance at his partners. Meli pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Humans and your weird relationship views. We’re fine with more girls li’ah’a - but I suggest you follow Yril’k’s advice for your own sake. If you give Trea’k time, you will know that she is with you because she wants to be, not because of the overqueen’s decisions or her biology.”

Rye shrugged as she gave her input. “I saw the envoy to the Rabyth once on a holo show. The bugs are an interesting bunch, looking forward to seeing what human weirdness does to one. Besides that, I reckon her hanging out with all of us will put your mind at ease Dusty. She’ll be the first girl joining us that we haven’t hand picked for compatibility, and I know how you worry about us all getting along. It’ll give you two time to get to know each other properly before jumping into bed together, but I’m down for that when it happens. Pretty sure Emmz is just going to go along with whatever you decide, right?” Emely blushed at that and nodded. “While the nature of Feliax customs meant we pretty much jumped at each other…” Dustin fondly remembered that she had literally jumped at him “…the others told me how slow you were at getting in their pants. I think it might be wise given everything everyone’s said to take your time, but Rye’s right - it’s your call as far as I’m concerned.”

Dustin smiled at the three of them, before turning his gaze to the cocoon. “So, give her some blood so she can become more ‘compatible’ whatever that means, and then wait while she settles into her new body, taking the time to get to know her properly. Seeing as my whole crew is basically giving me the same advice, and it’s mostly what I would have gone with myself, that resolves that matter. Yril’k - I trust you’ll explain to me how we tell when she’s had enough time to be fully settled in herself later on, so for now let’s have a proper crew meeting about mission matters. We are back enroute to getting a doctor - regardless of our new additions that remains a priority. What are our next few destinations looking like?”