I Am The Swarm

“What Wright just said makes sense. Maybe the Rat Folk really do intend to deify their First Empress. But have you considered this? The Rat Folk believe in these things—they understand what it means to have a god. Whether their god represents the Swarm or something else, a native empress daring to place herself on the same level yet being neither stopped nor punished, living out her natural lifespan, and continuing to be celebrated to this day—isn’t that, in itself, very strange?” Blanca analyzed.

“It’s true. If I raised a colony of ants and their queen dared to place herself on equal footing with me and divide my authority, I’d dump a bucket of hot water on them without hesitation,” Wright joked with a grin.

“Maybe the relationship between the Rat Folk and the Swarm is far closer than we’ve imagined.”

“Yes, especially considering the Rat Folk’s backward technology and their mere two satellite colonies. Their societal segmentation plan seems utterly pointless.”

“Unless they gained some significant benefits from it!”

“Exactly! For those upper-level elites who know the truth to willingly maintain such a divide, lofty ideals wouldn’t be enough. There has to be substantial benefit involved.”

“Perhaps there are also restrictions, like limited quotas? That would give them a strong incentive to protect the secret and prevent more competitors from taking a share.”

“Such benefits must be incredibly tempting.”

“Silja, can you continue to pose as a Rat Folk and extract more intelligence?” Blanca asked.

Silja considered the question before responding. “They’re extremely cautious, and they seem to have some sort of screening mechanism. I’ve already attracted some attention, and it was only with Warwick’s help that I managed to extricate myself. If we’re not worried about causing a diplomatic incident, I could try again.”

“Can you guarantee results?”

“It’s unlikely. Even with individuals at the same level, they’re reluctant to share much. It seems they really don’t want to increase competition.”

“That won’t work. Without sufficient evidence or clear benefits, the Elders won’t approve violating Confederation regulations. We still need to tread carefully,” Blanca said, shaking her head. “For now, we can only hope the Captain makes progress. We need more intelligence to uncover the truth.”

“Once we obtain permission, perhaps we should consider visiting the Rat Folk’s colonies next. The societal hierarchy there might reveal more.”

“Agreed.”

Unfortunately, the much-anticipated efforts of Colonel Edres and the Captain bore little fruit. Multiple applications and requests to the Rat Folk were met with various rejections and excuses.

Nearly a year passed before the situation took a turn.

Elder Humes, the Ji’s permanent representative in this region, arrived at Planet Genesis. His purpose was to sign the formal Confederation membership agreement with the Rat Folk. Both the Riken and the Swarm had undergone this process in the past.

As one of the highest decision-makers of the Ji, Elder Humes was in a completely different league from an engineering team leader or a nameless squad captain. The current Rat Folk Emperor personally welcomed him.

The signing of the agreement went smoothly, as it was little more than a ceremonial formality. However, after the meeting, Elder Humes expressed his concern on behalf of the Ji regarding the Rat Folk’s refusal to allow Ji personnel into their cities for tourism.

The Rat Folk could afford to ignore the requests of engineers and minor captains, but they could not ignore an Elder of the Ji. Thus, the Rat Folk reopened their cities to the Ji.

“Elders really get things done!”

“Absolutely, they sure do!” the team exclaimed in agreement.

“Too bad Elder Humes is too old, and he doesn’t fit my aesthetic.”

“Oh? Do you have something in mind?”

“Hehe~”

The intelligence team set off again on their spacecraft, the mood lively with chatter and laughter. The Captain, however, sat quietly, veins bulging on his forehead. Their new target was the Red Moon Colony, a Rat Folk settlement.

Initially, the Rat Folk had refused to allow access, but they eventually relented after some “civilized discussions” led by Elder Humes, who had yet to leave Planet Genesis.

“Everyone, stay cautious and prioritize safety. I’m not sure if the Rat Folk might lash out when we get close to the truth,” the Captain warned as the spacecraft began its descent.

“Don’t worry, Captain, we’re all seasoned professionals. We’ll handle this.”

“Exactly. Besides, the Rat Folk wouldn’t dare to do anything.”

The Captain remained silent, choosing not to argue further.

The Red Moon Colony was located within a massive planetary crater. Most of the settlement was underground, with only a few structures visible on the surface, including a handful of landing pads.

“This place is so bare-bones!” Wright complained.

“With the Rat Folk’s technological level, even building a colony is an achievement,” another team member retorted.

After disembarking from the spacecraft, the team was greeted at the hatch by several Rat Folk officials. Following a brief introduction, the group proceeded into the colony’s interior.

“Honored guests, please forgive the simplicity of our facilities. We have a small staff, and everyone is occupied with their duties, so we cannot hold a formal welcome ceremony,” one of the Rat Folk officials said politely.

“No problem, we’re just here to take a casual look around,” the Captain responded courteously.

While pleasantries were exchanged at the front, the Ji team members at the back began their covert operations. Due to the colony’s outer space environment, their protective suits were bulkier, allowing them to conceal more integrated equipment.

“Wright, you’re at the rear. Collect samples while the rest of us provide cover,” Blanca instructed, temporarily taking command from the Captain. She issued orders in an obscure dialect from a civilization on the far side of the Confederation’s territory—so obscure that even few members of that civilization understood it, let alone the Rat Folk.

Wright, following orders, pretended to casually brush his hand against the wall. A thin steel needle extended from his palm, functioning as a sampling device. It was incredibly sturdy, piercing the wall like it was tofu. Once the sample was taken, the needle retracted in an instant, and Wright lowered his hand. The wall bore a nearly imperceptible pinhole.

As they continued their tour, they encountered surprisingly few Rat Folk. It was unclear whether this was due to the colony’s small population or a deliberate message of unwelcomeness. By the end of the day, aside from the officials greeting them, the Ji team hadn’t seen a single other Rat Folk.

—

Nighttime – Rest Area

“Captain, we’ve checked. No surveillance equipment here.”

“Captain, no bio-signatures detected. This room is completely free of other life forms,” two team members reported after scanning the room with their devices.

“It seems the Rat Folk know exactly why we’re here. They’re cautious of us but are avoiding leaving any evidence behind,” the Captain mused.

“Hmph, they’re being overly defensive. I can understand empty research facilities, but not seeing anyone in the living quarters? They definitely had advance notice and locked this place down.”

“All right, does anyone have any findings from today?”

“I analyzed the samples Wright collected,” another team member reported. “The colony’s construction materials are standard, nothing out of the ordinary. However, the structures seem to be much newer than expected—less than a century old. This contradicts their official records.”

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