The Journal of BubbleLand Studies
Scented into wax by me, zzzzz'ZOE, the Royal First Cousin, on this day, Thirty-Seven Twasmire, in the year 15910.The archaeological party's Bee contingent found the Queen's Hive Manufacturing Center at SeaPort Downs to be in a state of anarchy. The waxware engineers were deserting the huge Meadows 15911 Urban Hive Project for small InterNet Browser Hives, which could be mounted on Wolf back.
Meadows 15911 was so vast that it attracted aroused RoseMoths, far beyond the ability of workers to de-moth the huge colossus. Bee engineers began storing Bee cultural information as scent images(*.sml files) on Earth InterNet, accessible through the Parsec-bouncing transmitter(PBounce).
zzzzz'Zoe, High Queen zzzzz'Drom's First Cousin, was kidnapped by rebel waxware engineers.
Archaeological Expedition Proceeds, Under Rebel Escort
By
zzzzz'ZOE, For The QueenA lot can change in a week. Last week, I was captured and held hostage, I had feared. But now, it appears my captors want nothing more than for me to be kept alive. I am, in fact, central to their plans.
My captors, led by the brash zz'Bic, are a part of a ring of rebel waxware engineers, each of whom operates from a small Wolf-mounted InterNet Browser Hive. I have asked zz'Bic about their connection to the Human rebellion in the Southern Enclave, but he gives only vague answers. My suspicion is that the waxware engineers are using the Earth InterNet to coordinate the Human rebellion, as it is hard to imagine the Humans having such initiative on their own.
It appears that the entire archaeological party were captured, as well as I. My four thousand Bee workers were brought yesterday by Wolf-back Hive to a location near NorthPort, Hive of zzz'Clook, the Queen's Sister, who is not a rebel sympathizer, but is unfailing neutral in regard to anything that irritates zzzzz'Drom. zzzzz'Drom is her younger sister, and rose to High Regency ahead of her elder.
"I wouldn't THINK of acting on my own initiative here, and be seen as exercising PRESUMPTION!" she was heard to say.
Mayor Reg's Human party was brought in from the Sweet Sea by a rebel-sympathetic SeaPort Human ship, and I, for one, was glad to see them again, having missed the little ones. Mayor Reg's daughter, Sara, was quite taken with all of the Bees she met, and they with her, perhaps because of the notoriety she has gained since the Bee stranger spoke into her eardrum.
It is an odd, ancient joy that accompanies this instance of Bee-Human Child discourse. There is much talk among the Bees, now, of old legends, of Queen zzz'Omma, Highest of the Hive, and the love she had for Human Children.
Several children besides Sara have developed a curiosity about Bees, and have expressed an interest in having them land in their ears, to speak directly to their eardrums. None have succeeded quite yet, but they have tested their boldness so far as to close their eyes and grin, only to giggle and run away when Bee wings brush their ears, tickling them. I'm sure that before long, there will be friendships formed, a thing unthinkable in normal times.
That high caste Bees should be so compelled to seek out the low castes is a curiosity . . . perhaps too daring for our generation.
zz'Bic, and others have made known to us the purpose of our capture. The archaeological party is to proceed at once to the foot of the ButterSnow Mountains, to examine a recent discovery of some kind. They won't tell me what it is, but rumor has it that it will shed light on the true nature of Queen zzz'Omma, who began the Bee/Beast/Human confederation of KinterSylvania back in the dark bosom of our history.
Archaeology is the highest of the Sciences, one which even in wartime, High Queen zzzzz'Drom would not dare interfere with, or lose face. Based on traditions handed down, Royalty must yield to dead sister zzz'Omma, as though she were alive today. If zzzzz'Drom proves to have policies different from zzz'Omma's, or shows an unwillingness to have them tested by archaeological precedents, her policies could be vetoed by dysacclaim.
The status of Humans for the remainder of the journey has been quite changed. Mayor Reg's daughter, Sara, has been given an escort, with four Wolf-mounted Hives accompanying her everywhere, and flights of hovering soldier Bees in the air above her at all times, dropping the distinctive orange WretchFlower Pollen, which is highly irritating to Bees, as you can scent here.
zz'Bic and his rebel friends are close mouthed about this escort, which is normally reserved for Royalty under threat of assassination. What possible threat could such a girl be to High Queen zzzzz'Drom, or to anyone else, for that matter? And why are the rebels suddenly so protective of Sara? Perhaps this new discovery in the ButterSnow Mountains will give us all some answers.
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22 May, 1996 -- Expedition Report -- 37 Twasmire, 15910
