He did not like what he was seeing one bit.
Bloody fools. Snarled the Swarm leader from atop his perch, looking through his telescope to the far away battle, raging in the distance. They took the bait like hungry maggots. Bloody Idiots.
But sir. Said one of his supporters beside him confused. You said let none escape. Isn't that right? They just following orders.
One look from the swarm leader made the supporter shut her trap immediately.
There picking us off one by one. Muttered the swarm leader angrily, snapping the telescope shut and walking back down the camp perimeter his builders had constructed. That was the last of our elite aerial forces. I told them to focus on the mission above all else. Not break rank and go on a foolish chase into the storm. They should have known better. If I ever see any one of those treasonous maggots again. I'll....
A lone bloodied grenadier. Struggling to stay aloft with his wings cut apart. Appeared from high in the air before spiraled downward and crashing in the mud in front of the messenger and his swarm leader. Looking down on him immensely displeased with his sisters around camp gathering in a circle of shame around him for having run away from a fight.
Sir..Gasped the returning fool. We..We..
Where is you're ordinance warrior? Asked the swarm leader. Looking him directly in the eye.
Gone sir..Muttered the survivor. His head held low in shame. The majority of his sisters scowling at him for his cowardice and disloyalty.
How? Is it gone? Did you happen to lose it?
No..I..wasted it all.
"So get more." The general snarled. With a wave of his hand a lowly worker came out of the small crowd and strapped what explosives and ordinance the swarm had left as instructed. Working diligently to turn her brother into a makeshift bomb. She bowed her head and returned to the sidelines to wait for whenever she was needed for some menial task as was her purpose.
But.. Sir.. I can't fly. My wings.. It's clipped.
You can stagger long enough. Said the swarm leader. Long enough to make it up to me for your unforgivable treasonous blunder to me and our queen.
But..Coughed the injured grenadier. I can't. It hurts when I move. I feel like. I'm going to die.
Yes you are. That is a certainty from what I can see. Just make sure not to die here. Ordered the cloaked leader. Die out there. Now pick yourself up and return to the fight. And this time. Stick to the path.
The grenadier nodded reluctantly before slowly rising to his feet as ordered. His legs trembled from the effort. One of his more sympathetic worker sisters placed an instinctive step forward wanting to help him up. But quickly stayed where she was by gesture of her leader giving her a stern glance that was clearly ordering her not to show a shred of pitty to a maggot even lower than herself such as this one groveling in the dirt.
He was to do this on his own. He had not supported the cause of the swarm. So why should they support him?
The injured elite flyer, spread his even more tattered wings. And took one final look upon the leader and sisters he had defied and failed to honor. He knew this could not be forgiven and had never felt worse in his entire life for what he had done. There was only one path to redemption now in the eyes of the swarm and his queen.
I'll die properly sir. And take them with me.
"Make sure that you do. Now go."
The elite took off into the air slowly having to get a running start and vanished to rejoin the fight with his loyal few brothers who were right in not chasing the bait like maggots. Leaving his disappointed leader to turn to his quartermaster to give him the situation which had turned rather dire. And was getting worse by the second.
Sir..The enemy is holding their positions. We're running out of ground troops. We...were counting upon brothers to clear straight path. But with most gone. I not sure. If we can..
We can..Said the swarm leader. Never say we can't. It just takes proper initiative to recover from a slight miscalculation. One warrior can make the difference between victory and defeat.
The Swarm leader. Pondered a risky and desperate measure for a bit before committing to it without a second thought of reconsidering. Finding it adequate in salvaging this battle.
Inform the workers, wounded, and builders to join the infantry in the hill assault. We need every body we can muster now. I don't care if there too weak of wounded to fight. As long as they can move and draw away enemy fire from our warriors. That is what matters. Put a spear in their hands and send them to fight on the front lines for their queen alongside their brave older sister's. There is no more division or separation of forces and rank tonight. We need everyone working together warrior and drone alike to secure our victory for the queen. We cannot return empty handed.
Of course sir..Said the quartermaster before pausing at the realization. Does that mean..Me included?
The leader afforded another quick stern glance. Giving her his answer. "What do you think?" Grab a spear and get moving."
Yes..sir. The diminutive scribe responded. As you wish."
One final thing. The swarm leader called out before his attendant went to meet her death. "Are the builders working on the backup tunnel done yet?
Almost sir. She responded. Work has been slow despite our best toils and no rest. But we should be able to get through. Given time.
That is something we do not have. Snapped the swarm leader. Load all the remaining explosives into a stockpile to blast and carve out a large enough section to tunnel quickly enough to the surface. Where ever we emerge. Is where we fight. And die if need be.
But sir. There is not enough time for the builders to get out once they set the charges.
So be it. It is another necessary sacrifice. I need to get close and do my part for my queen if the rest of you are too cowardly. As I said. It's all hands on deck. And even leaders must run through the muck from time to time..."
"Whatever it takes to make her proud."