The surrounding bees were looking uneasily between and Ambrosia, like children of arguing parents. The sheer awkwardness of it all made take a step back.
"We can't decide sothing like that on the spot, anyway…"
Ambrosia's posture relaxed.
"You are right, we can't. We should arrange a search for mites in the quarantine village and in the uncapped larvae cells imdiately. But… The longer we wait, the more we undermine our own efforts."
I took in a deep, calming breath and slowly took it out. The forest was as loud as always around us, full of rustling of leaves and distant cries of unknown beasts. The wind brought scents of grass, damp soil, and bees.
"You are right, Amby. But we can't rush into it, either. Otherwise, we might as well just kill those pupae ourselves—that would be an effective way to stop the mites, too. But we don't want it, don't we?"
I sent Ambrosia a smile—not one of my best ones. It only made her frown.
She thought about my words.
"No," she said after a while. "The Bee Empire must develop quickly, or you might die. Every bee is important."
Now I chuckled.
"One day, you will admit that you love your daughters, even the sick ones. Maybe you didn't before, but now you do."
Ambrosia folded her arms over her chest.
"Oh no, your mind-illness has spread far enough already. The symptoms, like that worry—"
"But you've admitted earlier to worry about , didn't you?" My smile beca cheeky. "So you are *ill in the head* about , right?"
Ambrosia sputtered.
"I'm… I… This is *really* not what matters *now*!" She shook her head. "We must return to the hive and gather the Council, Nectus, before the day ends."
I nodded like a benevolent monarch who could afford to be benevolent because he just won a verbal spar.
Then I let the worries of the world fall on my shoulders again. Amby was right—today was a long day, and there wasn't much left of it to waste.
"Yeah. Everybody, get out of the water! Ti to go back."
***
Before we flew to Hive Supremo, I had to return Forager Bees to the quarantine village. Although the mites let go of them, I wanted them to stay for observation at least for a few days.
In case they were sick with so actual virus. Mites could easily transmit illnesses.
Worriesgone was a pri example of this…
"Tabletina, you are basically the head physician here—tell , do you think Worriesgone will recover?" I asked her before I and Ambrosia left. "The bee who fell sick with a cold recently."
"Yes, I rember her, Father. She wasn't the only one from the ill brood to catch sothing, but she got it the worst." Tabletina tilted her head, thinking. "Your discovery about the Paleness changes things a lot. There were so plant dicines developed by my sisters in the Hive Supremo that I wasn't sure about giving to her. However, now I can think again. Consult the archives one more ti."
She nodded thoughtfully. I could tell her mind was already miles away.
I sighed, but at least now I felt so hope.
It was a good thing that I started developing 'Plant dicine' technology when I did.
'This just shows why you should follow Amby's advice and scourge the brood cells with pupae from the mites before it's too late, Nectus,' the insidious voice inside whispered.
I clenched my fists.
The tis when it spoke were always the worst ones…
***
"…and we also should prepare to *very carefully* open the pupae cells to check them for the mites," I said at the end of a very long speech that explained to my Advisers the day's events.
By now, it was past dinnerti. We had to light a candle to keep the Council Chamber lit enough. The Advisers themselves looked tired, but were still listening intently.
"Open the pupae cells? But that's—that's only done when pupae are already damaged! Not every bee in the brood is sick, aren't they?" Things-Things said.
"This is *not* a normal thing to do, but it's *necessary*," Ambrosia said sharply. Then she smiled at . "It won't be easy, but… Irrationally, I believe that it's possible. Perhaps it's because *you* never said it was outright *impossible* or that it *won't work*, Nectus. Risky, but not impossible."
I stood, struck speechless.
'A point for you, Amby… It's one to one now. You got there!'
Perhaps on so level, I already knew this was what had to be done.
"So how are we going to do it, Father?" Workharder asked. "I can send all hands to check our bees for mites. Food production will suffer, but we have supplies to last us for so ti."
I checked the empire's status.
"For 12 days. But I hope to deal with this in one, two days maximum. Researchina, I've already told Lieutenant Tabletina to send her subordinates searching for varroa mites on the bees in the quarantine village. In the anti, I want your people… No, wait. I want *Material Foragers* and *Hunter Bees* to search for mites on larvae that are about to be sealed."
Material Foragers and Hunters had bonus perception from their titles, which would help them in the search.
"anwhile, Workharder and Things-Things should organize the future search. Prepare so small tokens—I don't care if they will be just tree leaves with a hole—that you will give to bees you've already checked. This way, there will be less confusion later on. We will need 460 thousand tokens. Or use paint that can hold on skin for a few days… Or hell, cut the hair of checked bees shorter. Think sothing up, alright?"
"Yes, Father!"
"Sure, Father!"
"After the Material Foragers, Hunters and Tabletina's bees learn the usual places where mites hide, we can start the Operation Great Purge. Every bee must be checked! Mites can hide even on bees with the thick skin gene to travel to other hosts—we can't let a single mite escape!"
"Yes, Father!"
"For my daughters, your sisters! We will purge Hive Supremo, then Hive Hornet's Nest, then all others!"
"Yes, Father!"
The war against varroa mites just began for real.
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